The Way of Life: Part Two of the Family Saga
by meathead
Summary: Five years after the war, the Turtles are adapting to their new lives above the sewers. After some unexpected events and turbulent romances, the Turtles finally find the happiness they've been looking for.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter, April, Casey and the Shredder are all owned by Mirage Studios. All other characters are of my own creation.

Prologue . . .

_Blood . . . _

_Everywhere . . . _

_Where is it coming from? Why won't it leave me ALONE?_

His eyes darted around in the darkness; his hands clenched the sword tightly. Screams suddenly sounded from all around him, but he saw no one.

_Please . . . don't hate me . . . _

_That voice . . . _he thought. _ Not again._

A bright light shone behind him, causing him to turn around. There on the ground knelt a small child with her back turned toward him. Her abnormally long black hair spilled down onto the ground beneath her. As much as he resisted, some unknown force drew him closer to her. He made no sound as he walked.

He fell to his knees in front of her, and the child looked up at him. The features of her face were unmistakably of Asian decent; even he could see that through the many cuts and bruises she carried. Her large, brown eyes were fixed in a state of horror, and the tears welled inside them.

_Please, don't hate me . . . _

The sword suddenly grew heavy in his hand, but as he tightened his grasp on the handle, a burning sensation ripped into his palms, and he flung the sword to the ground. He tended to his hands, but glanced at the sword below him. His eyes widen with disbelief. The weapon was not his own, but he at once recognized the engraved dragon with the bright ruby eyes.

_I love you . . . please . . . don't . . . hate . . . _

He looked back at the child, and she raised her hands to him. Blood spilled out of her palms, and he let out a scream, only to have no sound come out with it. He pushed himself backwards away from the child, clenching his chest. His heart raced so loudly, he felt as if his head was going to explode. He looked back at the child.

A mask, that all too familiar mask, with its sharp points, and its metallic glare, which blinded his eyes. That mask now covered the child's face, and he could still see the child's eyes under it. Her tears were replaced by streams of blood, and it ran down her face onto the ground.

Once again, her voice rang inside of his head.

_Leonardo . . . don't hate me . . . _

_I love you . . . _


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Leonardo couldn't take it anymore. Normally he was quiet and focused during his mediation session with Splinter, and after 24 years of doing so, he knew that an outburst of any kind was not aloud. He watched Splinters' face with a nervous twitch in his eyes, feeling as if he was going to have an anxiety attack. He tried to take a deep breath and start his mediation over again for the hundredth time, but as soon as Leonardo closed his eyes, all he could see were those horrible images that haunted him day and night. He figured that after three years of seeing a psychiatrist that those dreams would be gone for good. Leonardo just didn't understand why these dreams were coming back.

To avoid bothering Splinter while he was in his trance, Leonardo let his eyes wonder around the greenhouse they sat in. He and his brothers had built the greenhouse for Splinter, mainly so Splinter could have his own quiet place away from the house. Raphael joked, saying it was a way to keep Splinter out of the house so they could party more.

The green house was fashioned after the gardens in Japan that Splinter loved so much. Dogwood stretched up to the glass and marble ceiling, while Banzai trees were scattered between the wooden walkways and the white gravel that covered the ground. In the far eastern corner of the greenhouse, where they now sat, a secluded area surrounded by bamboo trees was created for Splinter's mediation sessions. A slightly raised marble platform was placed in the middle of the trees, its smooth top inscribed with various Japanese characters that describe a horrible war, and those that had triumphed over evil.

Leonardo's eyes traveled back down the urn in the middle of the platform and watched the smoke from the incense. It twisted and turned as it rose back up the ceiling where Leonardo's eyes had begun. He sighed heavily, then looked back down at Splinter.

"Are you having trouble concentrating, my son?"

Leonardo jumped slightly as his eyes met Splinter's own. He was totally unaware that his sensi had been watching him the entire time.

"Yes," Leonardo said. "I'm sorry, master."

Splinter gave him a smiled back in response. " It is all right my son. If you do not wish to do this, you may leave."

Leonardo shook his head. " It's not that I don't want to be here, I- I've been having those dreams again, and I didn't know how to tell you without disrupting you."

Splinter closed his eyes once again, and inhaled deeply. " I have seen your dreams, Leonardo, and I know how to rid of them, as you yourself know-"

Leonardo laughed in an I-don't-think-so manner and stood up, brushing the dust from the platform off of his dark-blue yoga pants. "There is NO way, master. Dr. Foster told me the same thing, and you know for a fact I'm not going to contact her. No way!"

Splinter opened his eyes. "Leonardo, why can you not forgive that girl? Your brothers have. It is time to move on from this. You cannot carry this burden with you forever. That is why you have those dreams. You need closure."

"I know." Leonardo crossed his arms and looked down at the Japanese writings, rereading, and in a way, reliving the past. "I just can't. I'm not ready. It still hurts."

Splinter said nothing in return, then bowed his head to Leonardo, as if saying he understood, and bid him a farewell. Leonardo pushed his way through the bamboo and followed the walkway to the greenhouse glass doors.

He exited to the outside, making the doors were fully closed before letting out the breath he had been holding after Splinter's silent goodbye. He couldn't help but feel a touch of guilt for leaving, let alone acting hostile towards Splinter. Leonardo knew Splinter meant well, that he was only looking out his sons' best interest. But this was one thing Leonardo did not want to be pushed into.

After feeling a slight breeze from the ocean whip across his face, Leonardo followed a stone and gravel walkway that continued from the greenhouse across the back lawn to the half-circle shaped driveway in front of the house. His hands were clasped together and stuck against his mouth while he let himself become lost in his thoughts. Leonardo went up the shallow steps of the large open front porch of the house and absentmindedly sat down on the concrete, which had not yet been warmed by the morning sun. He jumped a bit as the cold went through his thin pants, but soon forgot it and started to think again.

A small beeping noise startled Leonardo back to reality, and he glanced down at the source, which had been his watch, and read the time: 6:00. The sun had already broke over the horizon and the various breeds of birds were well into their morning chirping concert, when suddenly a large roar from a sports car engine broke through the peaceful scene. Leonardo shook his head, as he had done every morning, as his brother Raphael came flying down the street and into the driveway in his red Ford Mustang. Leonardo yawned and stood up as the loud engine and even louder rock music was shut off and Raphael stepped out. He was dressed in his work uniform, which consisted of blue jeans and a white tee shirt. The logo on the left chest of the shirt read in black letters: East Side Dock Bar and Grill.

"How are you not deaf from all of that?" Leonardo asked, crossing his arms and leaning against one the tall pillars that connected to the second story balcony.

Raphael removed his sunglasses. "What?"

"How are you not deaf from that car?" Leonardo said a little louder, and a little slower.

Raphael rubbed at his ear holes. "What!"

"I said, how are you not-" Leonardo in mid-sentence when he saw the mischievous grin that spread across Raphael's face.

"Smart ass," Leonardo replied as he turned for the front doors, opening them and letting Raphael go in front of him. Raphael sat down on the bench in the doorway and removed his tennis shoes, while Leonardo slipped out of his sandals.

"So how was work?"

Raphael leaned back against the wall. "Well, let's see. I stopped three fights, played marriage consular to a couple of gay guys, then had my butt smacked by a drag queen named Big Mama."

A look of confusion and disgust set across Leonardo face as Raphael jumped to his feet and nodded.

" Yeah, they don't pay me enough to put up with all of that."

The smell of coffee greeted them in the foyer and they followed the scent into the dining room, which was adjacent from the kitchen. In the dining room, seated at the far end of the long, oak dining table was Donatello. A cup of steaming coffee was on his left side and various piles of paperwork were scattered around him. The jacket to his gray suit hung over the chair next to him, where his open briefcase also sat.

"Morning gentlemen," Donatello said without even looking up from the table. His brothers watched as his hand raced over the papers with a red pen.

"Forget to do your homework last night, Donnie?" Raphael joked as he walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee while Leonardo set the tea kettle on the stove and hunted the oak cabinets above his head for his tea bags.

"Yeah," Donatello laughed. "Just remind me next time that I decide to assign my physics class an essay assignment before spring break to go ahead and put a bullet in my head." Raphael laughed as he took a seat across the table. Donatello tapped his pen on the table as he watched Raphael take a drink of his coffee.

"How can you drink that before going to bed?"

Raphael shrugged. "This stuff don't do anything to me. I could drink a whole pot then go to sleep." He took another sip, then studied the coffee mug, watching the lights of the dining room chandelier reflect off of the mugs' black surface. Leonardo then appeared behind Raphael, pulled out the chair beside of him, and sat down. He placed his cup, which contained green tea, on the table and, without thought, slouched in his seat, placing his left foot on the chair next to him. Donatello took note of this, but said nothing, figuring Leonardo didn't want to discuss how he slept last night.

"So, Raph," Leo stretched his arms above his head. "What do you want to do tonight?"

Raphael sighed in disgust. " Man, do we have to do anything at all? I just wanna relax. I've had a long week."

"It's your birthday, Raph," Leonardo said after a long yawn.

"Aw, it's just another day to me. All my fun birthdays are past me."

Donatello raised his head from the table. " 'Fun birthdays'? And what does that mean?"

"You know." Raphael ran his finger along the rim of his mug. " At eighteen you can smoke, 21 you can drink. I can do everything legally now. There no fun left after you turn 21."

Leonardo gave Raphael a weird look. " But you never did either one of those things."

Raphael laughed while he exchanged a smile with Donatello and took another drink of coffee, letting his eyes wonder to the ceiling. Donatello chuckled also while Leonardo's eyes grew big.

"All right Raph, what have you been doing?"

Raphael laughed a little louder at the older brother tone in Leonardo's voice. " I ain't doin' it now. That was years ago- when I was thirteen."

Leo jaw dropped. " Raphael!"

Raphael, still laughing, pointed at Donatello. " It wasn't my fault. He made me do it!"

"You liar! I did no such thing!" Donatello said through his own laughter, but stopped when he watched as Leonardo cross his arms in front of his chest. " Oh, come on Leo. We were stupid kids back then. Everyone experiments at one point in their lives."

"I never did!" Leonardo stated.

"No, he didn't Donnie," Raphael agreed. " He just kept an issue of Playboy under his mattress."

This time, Donatello's mouth dropped along with Leonardo's. Leonardo stared back at Raphael in disbelief.

"How did you know-" Leonardo shook his head. " Okay, anyway. Birthday plans! What are we doing?"

Raphael shrugged, sinking down into the chair. After a moment of thought, he spoke up.

"You know what I really want to do?"

"What?" Leonardo asked.

"Get a six pack, crash on the couch, turn up Alice In Chains, and veg all night."

Donatello held up his hands. " Whoa, slow down there. That might be too much excitement."

"I'm serious. I ain't in a partyin mood." Raphael finished the last of his coffee and rose to refill his cup. "Man, am I gettin old or what?"

Donatello laughed at Raphael, then glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. " Crap, it's 7:30. I gotta get out of here." He stood up, grabbing all of the papers with both hands and flung them into his briefcase. He straighten his navy tie, then put on his jacket.

"Have a good day, Donnie." Leo said while watching his brother. Donatello smiled back, grabbed his briefcase, then hurried towards the door. After hearing the front doors slam shut and the hum of Donatello's truck pull away from the house, Leonardo sighed once again and stared blankly at the mug in front of him, realizing in a weird way that he didn't even touch his tea.

As Leonardo stared into his mug, the lights above him flickered. He looked up at the chandelier, then turned around to see if Raphael had noticed. Before he could call out to his brother, the liquid in his mug started to boil. Leonardo watched it as it bubbled and spilled over the sides of the cup. Then, Leonardo gasped in horror as the liquid that flow onto the table turned to blood, and the mug had been replaced that familiar metal mask. Leonardo felt a sadness creep over his body, which paralyzed him instantly. He couldn't move or speak. Then, the voice returned.

_Leonardo, please, don't hate me, I love you, Leonardo..._

"Leo?"

Raphael's voice pulled him away from the table. "Huh?"

"I said, did you talk to Mikey yet?" Raphael asked again, setting his cup down on the table then returning to his chair.

Leonardo closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fingers. " No. I mean, I tried, but you can talk to Mikey until you are blue in the face and it still goes in one ear and out the other."

Raphael snorted and shook his head. "Did he even make to his bedroom last night?"

"No," Leonardo opened his eyes and pointed at the open doorway of the living room. "He fell asleep on the couch again. I did manage to clean up the mess he made in there finally." Then Leonardo made a small laugh. " Do you know how many bags of Doritos that guy can put away in a day?"

"He is really pissing me off, Leo." Raphael grunted. " The three of us are out there working our asses off just so he can sit in front of the T.V. all day long and eat junk food. He needs to get a job."

Leonardo was about to respond when Raphael stopped him. "And that doesn't mean working in a comic book store one day a week either."

"I know, Raph, I know, "Leonardo sighed, not wanting to get into the same argument that he and Raph had been in several times before. Leonardo rose to his feet and grabbed his tea. " I have to get ready. I'll deal with Mike later. Go get some sleep."

Raphael yawned."You're right. I'm beat."

Together they left the dining room and walked back into the foyer. Before following Leonardo up the stairs, Raphael stopped at the living room entrance and glared at the sleeping Michelangelo, who was on his stomach and snoring loudly on the couch.

"Raph!" His brother called out from the second floor. Raphael looked up and saw Leonardo leaning over the banister. "Come on!"

"I'm coming," Raphael mumbled. He again glared at his sleeping younger brother, then climbed up the stairs.

When Raphael reached the upstairs hallway, Leonardo had already disappeared into is own room. Raphael stood at the end of the hall, looking around as he had done the first time they had moved in four years ago. The walls were painted a soft white color, with a forest green border going across the middle of the wall, and a lighter green wallpaper under the border. Heavy, black iron wall sconces holding frosted crystal lamps lined the walls close to the ceiling, and various photos of family and friends were scattered around.

The upstairs contained five bedrooms: two on one side, two on the other, and the largest one was at the end of the hallway. Aside from the one at the end, which belonged to Splinter, the room setup was exactly like it had been down in their sewer home. Raphael's room was the farthest, with Donatello's next door, and Leonardo's directly across. Michelangelo's was next to Leonardo's room. Then Raphael realized something he had never noticed before: Each one of them chosen the same room they had in the lair! Raphael, who was beyond feeling tired at this point, began to laugh at his little discovery.

Leonardo exited his bedroom, tying the belt to his bujinkan uniform. He then noticed Raphael was standing at the end of the hallway.

" Raph, what are you doing?" Leonardo asked as he walked towards his brother.

Raphael laughter turned into a yawn. "Sleepwalking, I guess," He yawned again, then patted Leonardo on the shoulder. "Have a nice day." He then staggered to his bedroom, and shut the door behind him. Leonardo smiled to himself, then made his way back down the stairs.

As he made his way back to the kitchen, Leonardo thought about how close he and Raphael had become. They hardly fought anymore, but when they did, it was never like it had been when they were younger, and they would actually carry on conversations with each other instead of yelling. What amazed Leonardo most about his brother was how Raphael controlled his anger, but that had a lot to do with the family psychiatrist. Leonardo never thought in his wildest dreams that they would be this way, but he knew that if they had not been on the brink of death, it would have never happened.

Once in the kitchen, Leonardo turned off the coffee pot, then headed back towards the front doors. A rustling noise made Leonardo stop in front of the living room, where Michelangelo was sitting up, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, Leo, what time is it?" Michelangelo asked in a sleepy voice.

"It's a little after eight, Mikey."

Michelangelo nodded, his eyes beginning to close again. "Not quite noon yet." And with that, he laid back down and the snoring quickly resumed.

Leo stood in the doorway for a moment, wondering when Raphael was standing here if he had the same urge to go over to the couch and smother Michelangelo with a pillow. Instead, Leonardo moved to the entrance way, sat down on the bench, and put on his tennis shoes. He grabbed his keys off the key rack, and walked outside, locking the door behind him.

The sun was up a little higher now and its light was hitting the various trees and flowers that were placed along the driveway and scattered around the front lawn. The breeze Leonardo had felt earlier that had blown in from the ocean behind the house had grown stronger now, and it filled Leonardo's nose with the scent of salt and flower pollen, the latter of the two causing Leonardo to sneeze.

"I hate spring," Leonardo mumbled to himself, sniffing and rubbing at the sudden irritation in his eyes. He unlocked and jumped into his blue Jeep Grand Cherokee, placed his sunglasses over his eyes, and drove around the driveway to the street. He waited patiently as a school bus went by, then he drove out into the street.

Leonardo glanced around the neighborhood as he drove, reminiscing about the first time he and his brothers drove around this area. They were all arguing about the right spot to live, especially Raphael and Michelangelo; both preferred to stay closer to the city. As soon as Donatello turned the old van into the small ocean side town of Rockaway, Leonardo instantly knew that was the place. The neighborhood was quiet and clean, and the people were very friendly. Splinter and Donatello agreed with Leonardo, and the skeptical Raphael and Michelangelo changed their opinions after seeing the old Victorian style house with the Atlantic Ocean as the backyard.

Another school bus appeared on the opposite side of the road and flashed its lights, stopping to let on a group of young children. Leonardo stopped and waited patiently, tapping his fingers to an old George Michael song. A young girl with black hair and Asian features stopped directly in front of his Jeep, and stared blankly at him. Leonardo smiled at the girl, and waved her on. She did not move, but instead dropped her backpack onto the street. She unzipped it slowly, and pulled out of it a long, ancient Japanese sword. Leonardo froze in place, suddenly feeling that paralyzing fear grab a hold of him again. His breath slowed as the girl raise the sword and came running towards him.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Leonardo's voice rang out, even though his mouth never opened. He tightened his grasp on the steering wheel and pushed on the gas pedal. He watched as the girl dropped the sword just as the Jeep struck her-

"Hey come on buddy! Move it!"

A loud beep from a car horn woke Leonardo out of his dream state. He blinked his eyes, watching as the school bus pulled away. Another car honked its horn, but Leonardo ignored it as he searched the street for the girl.

"Come on! Get out of the way, you idiot!"

Leonardo blinked again, and looked into his rear view mirror, finally seeing the long line of cars behind him. Feeling totally embarrassed and out of sorts, Leonardo turned onto the nearest empty driveway and let the line of cars drive by him, the last of which the driver flipped up his middle finger at him. Leonardo sunk down into his seat and covered his face with his hands.

"This has to stop," he whispered to himself. " I can't take it anymore."

Leonardo reached down and pushed the speed dial on his car phone, and after a few rings, a female answered.

"Hello, Dr. Foster's office."

Leonardo cleared his throat. " Is Dr. Foster in yet?"

"Yes she is."

"Can I talk to her please?"

"May I ask whose calling please?"

Leonardo gave the receptionist his name and waited for his call to go through. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Foster picked up the phone.

"What can I do for you, Leo?"

"I'm sorry to bother you and I know my next appointment isn't until next month, but-"

"The dreams are back?" The doctor finished for Leonardo. "How is 12:30 today for you?"


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Oh my God! What is up with this traffic!"

Linda Okasana yelled as she tighten her grip on the steering wheel of her Toyota Camry. She glanced over at her cousin Christina, was applying liner and mascara on her eyes.

"Tell me again why I moved back to this hell hole of a city?"

Christina smiled, not turning her face away from the visor mirror above her "So you could sit in the morning rush hour traffic and whine about it."

Linda glared at her cousin. " Shut up." Then, Linda let a small laugh escape.

"Anyway," Christina continued as she put her makeup back into her purse. "I needed a roommate. Who else would be stupid enough to pay the rent in this city and put up with me at the same time?"

Linda's mouth dropped. " You are on fire today. You know that?" Linda tapped her short, but well manicured finger nails on the steering wheel as she watched the traffic around her. "Your brother."

"My brother?" Christina asked while running her fingers through her blond hair. " What does that idiot have to do with anything?"

"He is the stupid one," Linda laughed. " You should have asked him."

Christina joined in the laugher. " You got a point there, but I had enough of him in California!"

Linda continued to laugh as she gazed out of the side window. Looking across the street, she noticed a young couple. The man was Asian, the woman was white, and in-between them grabbing on tightly to their hands was a child. Her long black hair whipped around her as the made their way up the busy sidewalk and crossed the street in front of Linda. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she looked away.

"Lin?" Christina glanced at her cousin.

"I'm sorry," Linda wiped at her eyes. " This city just holds too many memories for me."

"Aw, Lin! Don't cry!" Christina reached over and wrapped her arm around Linda's shoulders. Linda shook as the sobs became stronger.

"I can't help it, Chris!"

"Well, you have to." Christina smiled and pointed to the windshield. "The light just turned green."

Laughter began to break up Linda's tears as the sound of honks and screams from the cars behind her poured through her open window. She quickly wiped her cheeks and put the car in drive.

"So," Christina began. " Have you made up your mind about going to The Icon with me tonight?"

"I don't think so," Linda shook her head. " I'm just not a club person, or a going out person for that matter."

Christina sighed. "Oh, come on. I can't go by myself. What if I meet a great guy who wants to meet my sexy Japanese-American cousin?"

Linda laughed again. " No. Sounds good, but no."

Christina crossed her arms. " How long have you been here? Six months? Have you even been on a date with a guy since you've been back?"

"No, and I don't plan on it." Linda stated, as various memories from the past flooded her head as she spoke. "I'm not man crazy like you are."

Christina sighed again. " What happened to you that was so bad that you are refusing men?"

"I'm not refusing anything!" Linda snapped. " I told you, there was only one man I would ever love, so drop it! I'm not talking about this anymore!" Linda stopped as she heard her words echo in her head, and she glanced at her cousin. Christina's eyes were wide open.

"Geesh, okay. No need to yell."

Linda suddenly felt ashamed of herself. "I'm so sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to do that."

Christina nodded her head. " It's okay. So, are you going to-"

"Don't press your luck." Linda stopped her. "Maybe some other time. Now, where am I supposed to drop you off at?"

Christina pointed ahead. " Turn down 9th street. I'll walk from there."

"Walk?" Linda asked, feeling puzzled.

"Yeah, someone is waiting for me there." Christina reached into her purse and pulled out a package of Tic Tacs and popped several into her mouth.

"Like who?" Linda soon found her answer as she turned on 9th and saw a mutated cat looking creature dressed in jeans, and a white shirt with the New York University Logo across the chest. Linda stopped the car and shook her head.

"Now you're into mutants? What happened to Frankie?" She asked crossing her arms over her chest.

Christina waved at the mutant, then glared at Linda. "Frankie is old news. And, no, I'm not into mutants. Barry is just really nice," She glanced back at Barry and watched as he ran his claws through his dark hair. "Okay, and he's extremely sexy."

Linda placed her hands on Christina's back and pushed her towards the door. " God, would you get out already!"

Christina laughed at Linda as she jumped out, then turned back around. "Are you sure you don't want to go out tonight?"

"Yes, now go. I'm going to be late for work, and your new fling is getting impatient." Linda shooed her cousin away, then stepped on the gas so she wouldn't have to witness her cousin shoving her tongue down another man's throat. She shivered with disgust, wondering why Christina could be so carefree and basically careless with everyone she met. Linda knew from experience that not being careful with someone would leave you cold and brokenhearted. Linda shook her head, not wanting to go back into her memories again.

Five years ago after leaving New York, Linda told herself that when she reached Japan, she would repress all memories of her old life, and concentrate on her martial arts studies. Linda kept that promise to herself for a long time, until one day, a letter arrived at the temple she was staying at. It was from Splinter, wondering how she was doing and how her training was going. Linda was shocked, not knowing how Splinter knew she was there, and she hesitated about writing back. Finally after five months she did, asking how he and the Turtles were, but not once did she mentioned Leonardo. They continued to write for three years, and had even had a few phone conversations, all of which was kept a secret from Leonardo. But in all, she was extremely happy to know someone out there still cared for her.

Then out of nowhere, her young cousin Christina(related from Linda's mothers' side), someone whom she hadn't talked to in forever, calls and asks Linda to come back to the States to share an apartment while she attended school at the University. Linda knew how spoiled her cousin was, for her father was a movie producer out in Hollywood, and she also knew Christina couldn't comprehend the meaning of the word "NO." So, without giving it any thought, Linda agreed and returned to the States. Her only fear about coming back was running into the mutant she once loved so dearly and having to go through the hurt all over again.

Linda pulled into a parking garage, parked her car, then crossed the street to a small bookstore and coffee house. The bells above the door rang as Linda crossed the threshold and she made her way to the counter, waving and saying hello to all of the regular customers she knew so well. A young girl from behind the counter looked up from the Anne Rice novel she was reading and smiled as Linda joined her.

"I know, I know," Linda said as she tied her on her black work apron, which read 12th Street Books and Brew. " I'm late again."

The girl smiled and brushed her brown hair out of her face. " It's okay. I covered for you."

"Thanks, Angie. I appreciate that."

Linda then looked towards the large window of the store, then suddenly froze. A mutant turtle was standing across the street, and Linda could have sworn the turtle was holding the sword her father had given her. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head, then looked back at the sidewalk, this time seeing it was empty. Linda sighed, but felt a sudden swelling in her throat and the warm rush of tears in her eyes. Then she finally thought, maybe leaving Japan really was a bad idea.

Leonardo was so sick of the traffic in Queens. It made him think of the term Raphael had used several times before: They all got their licenses out of a Cracker Jack box! After an hour long commute, then another half hour of trying to park, Leonardo felt like going home and crawling back into bed.

He opened the door to his dojo, hearing the calming chimes ring out, then yawned once again.

"Nice to see you finally made it in, Leo!"

Leonardo turned his attention to the back office where a mutant red fox sat at the desk, her hands flying over the computer keyboard and the phone resting between her cheek and shoulder.

"Morning, Vanessa," Leonardo walked towards her as she shoved a pile of mail towards him.

"Here," Vanessa continued typing. " More fan mail."

Leonardo chuckled as he sorted through the mail, tossing most of it into the trash can beside of the desk. He waited until Vanessa hung up the phone before talking again.

"Are you coming over tonight? We're doing a little something for Raph, even if he doesn't want it."

Vanessa stared blankly back at Leonardo. " What! Oh, God. Today's Raph's birthday?"

Leonardo raised his eyebrows. " Uh, yeah."

"Aw, shit." Vanessa smacked her hand on the desk. "I have to go buy that guy something. What does he want?"

Leonardo laughed suddenly. "You don't want to know."

Vanessa cocked her head sideways. " All right, what's the gag?"

"Raph told me the only gift he wanted from you was a lap dance." Leonardo busted in fits of laughter as Vanessa's mouth dropped.

"What a pig!" Vanessa growled as she tighten up her fists. "Oh, that guy is going to get it!"

Leonardo calmed down his laughter and wiped the tears from his eyes. "So, I'll see you tonight then?" Vanessa's only response was a smug smile complete with an eye roll. Leonardo started to walk away when he remembered something else.

"Oh, Vanessa. I'll tell him myself, but Jerry is taking over my noon class today."

Vanessa became puzzled. " How come?"

Leonardo sighed. " Just call it personal reasons."

He watched Vanessa nod and resume her work, then turned his attention to the large open doorway in front of him. A group of children, aging from six to nine, sat in the middle of the floor, quietly talking amongst themselves. Leonardo smiled, then erased it as he walked into the room. A hush fell as the children watched their master enter the training room and stand before them. Leonardo eyed them all, then threw his hands up and smiled.

"Okay, first one to knock me down gets to be Ninja Master for a day!"

All the kids happily screamed as they jumped up and ran towards Leonardo. The shouts startled Vanessa, making her rise from her desk and walk over to the main training room. She peered around the corner and saw the kids climbing over Leonardo like he was a mountain. She laughed as the kids finally knocked Leonardo down to the ground and jumped around victoriously. Then Leonardo rose to his feet and ran in circles, with the children chasing close behind. Vanessa shook her head and laughed again, then went back to her desk to answer the phone.

A few hours later, Leonardo found himself sitting in the office of Dr. Pamela Foster, waiting patiently on the brown leather couch that he and his brothers had spent so much time on. Dr. Foster was specialized in postwar depression and was highly recommended by General Lee. The doctor had treated all of the Mutant Militia, but had spent most of her time working with the Turtles.

Leonardo's eyes wondered from the window to the baize walls covered in various nature paintings and back to the couch he sat on. His eyes traveled along the rim of the couch to the side table, where he stopped at the small holes that were embedded into the top of the table. He laughed to himself, remembering the day when Raphael lost control and fling his sais into the table. The incident scared Dr. Foster so much, she asked for Leonardo to come with Raphael to every one of his sessions, just in case of another outburst.

Her treatment with Donatello was short, for he didn't seem to have any real problems. Michelangelo on the other hand, was a complete wreck from witnessing all of the death that had gone on around him. Dr. Foster said it had a lot to do with Michelangelo's child like state of mind. The war had pushed him into growing up faster than his conscious mind had wanted to, which is also why Leonardo believes Michelangelo prefers to stay home instead of working.

The door to the office creaked as the doctor stepped in. Dr. Foster smiled at Leonardo, then shut the door behind her.

"Hello, Leo," Dr. Foster walked over the brown leather chair that was sitting across from the couch and sat down. "How has your day been?"

Leonardo straighten his posture. " It's been okay, I suppose," He then let out another yawn, covering his mouth out of courtesy.

"I see you haven't been sleeping well." The doctor pointed to the dark circles under Leonardo's eyes.

"I don't understand it," Leonardo sighed. " I haven't had any nightmares or anything in so long. But now I'm having these visions in the daytime!"

Dr. Foster pushed up her thin framed glasses up her small nose. " In the daytime?" She grabbed a pen out of the holder on the table beside of her and began writing in Leonardo's file. After she was done, she looked back up at Leonardo.

"I have a question."

Leonardo felt uneasy. " Which is-?"

"Have you seen Linda recently?"

Leonardo felt his body cringe at the mention of Linda's name. " God, no, and I hope I never do!"

Dr. Foster shook her head. " Leonardo, you have got to let go of this. Five years is too long a time period to be holding onto this grudge of yours."

Leonardo crossed his arms and turned towards the window, tired of hearing the same old lecture from everyone. "Do you know how hard I have tried?" He looked back at the doctor. "Do you think I want to live with this?" His voice was starting to become shaky.

"I know you don't, Leo, or you wouldn't be here. I know you have tried everything you can." Dr. Foster sighed and leaned back into the chair. "Something deep down in your subconscious is refusing to take part in this." Dr. Foster suddenly leaned forward. "Is there something you haven't told me about your relationship with Linda?"

Leonardo's eyes grew. "No. I told you everything."

Dr. Foster pressed on. "Where the two of you romantically involved?" She looked into Leonardo's eyes, seeing a few tears begin to build up, and she knew she had found the answer.

"Oh, Leo, why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?" Dr. Foster reached back over to the table, pulled a tissue from its' box, and handed it to her patient.

Leonardo wiped at his tears, then held his throbbing head in his right hand. "I don't know. I was just so hurt." He looked back up at the doctor, feeling a little embarrassed.

Dr. Foster smiled at Leonardo. " It's all right. Love is a very powerful emotion. It can make you feel like you are floating on air one minute, then it can break you into a million pieces the next. And from the looks of it, you would be the latter of the two." She reached over, grabbing Leonardo's hand and patted it gently. "I can also see you were deeply in love with Linda."

Leonardo's cheeks became flushed. "Yeah, I was. She was- she was everything I could have ever asked for." He smiled as he remembered the snowball fight they had in Central Park, all the times he watched her sleep, and their first kiss.

Dr. Foster also smiled as she watched Leonardo's face. "See, now you're floating on air again, aren't you?"

Leonardo snapped out of his happy memories as he began to think of the encounter with Linda later on, when he discovered she was with The Foot. His facial expressions changed instantly and he withdrew his hand from Dr. Foster.

"No, I'm not. She betrayed us. She ripped my heart in half."

Dr. Foster watched as Leonardo buried his face in his hands. "Okay, Leo. Since I now know more about this, I'm going to move your appointment to next week. Is that okay?"

Leonardo nodded, not removing his hands from his face. Dr. Foster rose from her chair and moved to the couch, taking a seat beside of the turtle.

"Now, for some personal advice, go out and enjoy yourself."

Leonardo moved his hands. "Enjoy myself?" he asked feeling a bit confused.

"Yes! Get out of your house! Go meet people! Have some fun!" Dr. Foster exclaimed. "It will do you a world of good, I promise."

Leonardo sighed, knowing the doctor was right. "I will, and tonight's a good night to do it too."


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The sun had barely set over the horizon when Vanessa pulled into the driveway of the Turtles home. She turned off the engine and took one last look in the rear-view mirror, replacing strands of her wavy auburn hair and checking her makeup. She then bared her fangs to check for any remnants of food or lipstick, then Vanessa smiled at her reflection.

Vanessa adjusted her thigh length black shirt, along with the thin straps of the pale yellow tank top she was wearing. She then reached back into her car through the open window, grabbed a squared object wrapped in balloon paper, then walked towards the front glass doors. As Vanessa rang the bell and waited for an answer, she fingered the small pendent on her necklace with her forefinger and her thumb, and thought about that fateful day when she had first met Raphael.

_Two years earlier..._

"Man, that movie sucked!" Raphael griped. Donatello shook his head in disagreement.

"Oh, come on! It was funny! Jim Carrey is such a great comedian. The role was perfect for him."

"Yeah the guy is funny," Raphael shrugged. " But the whole pet detective thing? That was just stupid."

Leonardo rolled his eyes. He and his brothers had been standing down in the subway waiting for the train for what seemed like forever, and Leonardo was getting sick of hearing Donatello and Raphael fight over the movie they had just watched.

"I liked it!" Michelangelo piped up, shoving the leftover popcorn he had taken from the theater into his mouth.

Raphael scoffed at his younger brother. " Mikey, you laugh at everything!"

Donatello reached into the popcorn bag. "Yep, and that's why Mikey will out live you, Raph." Then, Michelangelo added a big smile to Donatello's comment.

"Whatever," Raphael turned back around, just as the subway train pulled into the station. Raphael stepped up and waited for the doors to open.

"Watch out, Raph," Leonardo warned. " You should really wait until everyone gets out."

"Like I do everything I should," Raphael joked. "Besides, Leo, you've lived in this city long enough to know that you have to push your way into these things to get a good seat."

No sooner had Raphael spoken when he found himself on the ground, face to face with another mutant.

"Hey you idiot! What's the big idea!" She screamed at Raphael. "Get off of me!"

Raphael pushed himself up, then helped the mutant to her feet. Then, he got a really good look at her face. She was a mutant fox, with red fur and dark auburn hair than hung just below her shoulders. The mutant wiped at the dirt on her long, black coat, then looked up at Raphael.

"What? Are you some kind of pervert or something? Stop staring!" She glared at Raphael, showing him her fangs. But Raphael just continued to stare, looking deeper into her eyes, and recognizing something in them he thought he would never find.

"Leslie..." Raphael said in almost a whisper. The mutant wrinkled her snout at him, then looked over at the other mutant turtles.

"Does this belong to you?" She asked Leonardo, as she pushed at Raphael with one finger.

"Sorry about that," Leonardo swooped in and grabbed Raphael, shoving him into the subway car, waving at Donatello and Michelangelo to join them. The mutant fox shook her head, then turned around and headed for the stairs.

"God, Raph," Leonardo griped. "I told you to watch out, didn't I?" He looked at Raphael, who was still in some state of shock. "Raph?"

A buzzer rang, and the doors began to close. Suddenly, Raphael blinked, then jumped back through the doors, almost getting the bottom of his pants caught in them. He turned back around as the train pulled away, watching as Leonardo mouthed screams at him. Raphael then pushed back through the crowd of people toward the staircase. He saw the mutant fox at the top of the stairs, raced up them, and then grabbed her by the arm, turning her around to face him.

The fox looked at him in disgust. " Look buddy, you better leave me alone. I have pepper spray!"

Raphael, who was trying to catch his breath, raised up his hands, as if telling her it was okay. He saw her relax a little, then he reached up around his neck and removed the gold necklace he had been wearing for so long. Without saying a word, he dangled the ruby and emerald pendent in front of her face, then smiled as the fox gasped.

"How- how did you-" She reached out and took it slowly from Raphael's hand. She stared into the pendent, feeling tears rush into her eyes. She then looked back at the turtle who had given it to her, not really knowing what to say next, so Raphael made it easier on her.

"Your aunt wanted me to give that to you." He held out his elbow to her. "Wanna get some coffee?"

She smiled, then took his elbow in her hand. Still feeling a bit stunned, she managed to tell the turtle her name.

"I'm Vanessa, by the way."

"Nice to finally meet you, Vanessa. I'm Raphael, and I've been waitin' on ya."

"Hey! You're here!" Raphael exclaimed as he opened the wide, double doors. He embraced Vanessa in a hug. "I didn't think you'd make it."

Vanessa felted puzzled. "Why is that?" Raphael made a you-what-I'm-talking -about face, then Vanessa caught on. "Oh, because of Chad?" Then Vanessa began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Raphael asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Chad does not own me, all right?" Vanessa pushed past Raphael and walked into the entrance way, bending down to undo the straps of her sandals.

"Well, then why did he call me and tell me to stay away from you?" Raphael crossed his arms over his chest.

Vanessa stood back up and sighed heavily. "Chad is just jealous that I have guy friends and he can't handle it." She moved out of the entrance way towards the dining room, but stopped when she noticed Raphael was still standing where she had left him. She shook her head, then waved the small package in the air.

"Do you want this or not?"

Raphael uncrossed his arms, then walked towards Vanessa. "What did you get me?" He took the gift from her and ripped it open. Raphael's eyes immediately lit up.

"Sweet!" Raphael looked over the cover of the CD he held in his hands. "Stone Temple Pilot's new album!" He grabbed Vanessa in another hug, almost knocking the wind out of her. "Thanks!"

"Your welcome," Vanessa returned the hug. She closed her eyes, and savored the moment. Raphael then pulled away and began to rip at the plastic wrapping on the CD, and walked into the living room to the large stereo system. After the strains of _Lady Picture Show_ echoed in the foyer, Raphael met back up with Vanessa, who still held a dreamy look on her face. He walked up to her and waved his hand in her face.

"Hello!" Raphael yelled as Vanessa shook her head and snapped back to reality. " Man, were you miles away or what?"

Vanessa gave Raphael a weak smile. "Sorry." Her nose then caught the pleasant smell that had been lingering in the air. "Is that an apple cobbler I smell?"

Raphael nodded as they walked into the dining room. "That was Mikey's gift to me, since he is a bum and has no money."

Just then Michelangelo walked out of the kitchen, and made a face at his brother. "See if I make you another one then!" He then waved at Vanessa. "How's it going?"

"Fine." Vanessa smiled back. "How are you?"

"Lazy," Raphael said, getting another glare from his younger brother. Vanessa punched Raphael in the shoulder, which caused Michelangelo to go into fits of laughter.

"Nice to see someone else get hit beside me!" Michelangelo continued to laugh as Leonardo and Donatello entered the dining room.

"What's so funny, Mikey?" Donatello asked as he pushed in several of the many oak chairs that surrounded the table.

"Raph's getting beat up by a girl." Michelangelo said through his laughter, but stopped when Raphael raised his fist in the air at him.

"So, is everyone ready?" Leonardo asked as put on his brown suede coat. "Our dinner reservations are in two hours but we need to leave to beat the traffic." Everyone nodded and began to head for the front door.

"Hey, Raph," Donatello called out. "Hang on a second." He motioned to Leonardo, who was reaching into his coat pocket. Raphael walked over to them as Leonardo pulled out a white envelope.

"What's that?" Raphael studied the envelope before taking it, then gasped as he read the blue _Ticketmaster_ logo on the front of it. "Oh, no way!"

"What is it?" Vanessa asked Raphael as she watched him rip open the envelope. Raphael then pulled out two white and orange concert tickets and held them in front of Vanessa's face.

"Two, front row- METALLICA TICKETS BABY!" Raphael screamed, then grabbed Leonardo and Donatello into his arms and squeezed them both tightly.

"I take it you like your gift, Raph," Leonardo managed out as he gasped for air. Raphael let them go, then turned back to Vanessa.

"Think Chad will let you go if I sign your release forms?" Raphael asked as he looked back over the tickets. Vanessa glared back at him, then headed back towards the entrance way to put her shoes back on, then she went through the double doors. Raphael chased her outside to his Mustang. "Oh, come on! I was joking!"

Vanessa crossed her arms and sighed. "Well, I didn't find it very funny!" She jerked on the door of the Mustang and slammed it shut after climbing in.

"Hey! Watch the paint!" Raphael yelled at Vanessa. " This thing is an antique!"

Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo cautiously walked to Leonardo's SUV, trying not listen to the fighting mutants in the car beside them.

"Those two fight like an old married couple," Donatello said after they had found safety inside the vehicle. Leonardo smiled as he stuck his key into the ignition, and turned around as he backed the SUV up.

"What?" Donatello asked after noticing the sly smile on Leonardo's face.

"Nothing really," Leonardo chuckled as he looked both ways before pulling out onto the street.

Hours later, after an eventful dinner where Raphael was throughly embarrassed by the choir of waiters who sang "Happy Birthday" to him at Michelangelo's request, Leonardo and Raphael sat in a booth at a night club while Michelangelo, Donatello and Vanessa danced out on the dance floor. Raphael looked around, taking in the surroundings of the club.

"This place isn't too bad," Raphael said, bringing his eyes back to Leonardo, who was leaned back against the booth with one hand hung across the top of the seat and the other around his glass of water. "Much better at that dump I work in."

"Well, then get a job bartending here," Leonardo pointed at the tip jar up on the bar that was stuffed full of money. "The tips alone make it worthwhile."

Raphael only shrugged, then his eyes traveled back to the dance floor. He smiled as he watched Vanessa slow dance with Donatello as Michelangelo tried desperately to cut in. Leonardo followed his brother's line of sight, then looked back at Raphael, wearing the same sly smile Donatello had seen earlier.

"Why don't you just tell her, Raph?" Leonardo's voice broke Raphael's thoughts.

"I can't, Leo," Raphael picked at the sticker on his beer bottle. " She's too happy with that dipstick Chad."

"Did she tell you that?" Leonardo leaned over the table, taking another drink of his now warm tap water.

"No," Raphael threw the pieces of the label onto the table. "I don't know why she puts up with that jerk. He treats her like dirt, then he tries to keep her away from me." He looked back up at his brother. "Anyway, I'd feel stupid if she didn't feel the same about me. So, it's better left alone." He picked up the beer and gulped it down, then motioned the bartender for another one.

Leonardo sighed, watching as Raphael added the empty bottle to the other six that sat next to him. "Watch your alcohol intake, Raph."

Raphael drunkenly waved his hand at Leonardo. "I'm fine. No problem." Just then, Vanessa appeared at the table while the strands of _Some Like It Hot _by the Power Station blasted over the speakers.

"Dance with me, Raph. I love this song!"

Raphael laughed, unscrewing the cap of his beer. "It's Eighties night. You love every song they've played." Before he could take a drink, Vanessa had grabbed the bottle, placed it back on the table, and grabbed his now empty hand.

"Come on, you drunken monkey!" She pulled Raphael up and dragged him away. Leonardo laughed as he heard Raphael comment about being a turtle and not denying the drunken part of it, then looked back at the table. He reached for the glass of water, but then remembered how warm it was. As he pushed it away, Leonardo's sharp ninja senses suddenly alerted him that someone was watching him and he turned around.

At the bar sat an attractive young woman with long blonde hair and a bright white smile, which was directed right at Leonardo. She continued to stare, making Leonardo feel very uneasy. He returned the smile very quickly, then turned away, leaned his elbow on the table, and rested his head on his hand. No sooner had he turned away when he felt a presence behind him.

"Hi." The blonde girl flashed her bright blue eyes at Leonardo, who turned around after growling to himself.

"Hello," he managed through a fake smile.

"Do you care if I join you?" She asked, motioning towards the booth with the drink she held in her hand. Leonardo gritted his teeth, wanting to really tell her how he felt about her idea. Instead, he smiled again and waved her in.

"Be my guest." He said as his lie broke up his voice. He cleared his throat and watched as the girl ran her fingers through her hair.

"So," the girl said after taking a drink. "I see your, uh, friends, left you here all alone."

Leonardo let his eyes wonder around. "Family, actually." Then he remembered Vanessa wasn't a turtle. "More or less."

The girl smiled, then noticed the glass of water in front of Leonardo. "Oh, honey. You can't come to a place like this and drink that! Hey, Joel!"

The bartender looked up as the girl waved her hand to their table. "Get me another Jack and Coke please!"

Leonardo shook his head. "No, thanks, but I don't-"

"Oh, come on honey," The waiter set the drink on the table, and she pushed it towards him."Don't break my heart. One is not going to kill you."

Leonardo hesitated, then reached for it. "Just one, okay? I mean it." He took a small sip and felt the alcohol burn the inside of his mouth. "Man, this is strong."

The girl laughed, then took a huge gulp of her own. " You'll get used to it after the first drink. So, what's your name?"

Leonardo took another sip, then glared at the girl. "Why does it matter? All you're planning on doing is getting me drunk enough to sleep with you."

The girl's mouth dropped, but she soon regained herself. Leonardo then saw the tears that started to well up in her blue eyes.

"You know, I just figured you were lonely, and I just wanted to keep you company and help you have a good time, and then you think I've got something planned?" She laid her head down on the table and Leonardo watched as her body shook from the sobs.

"Hey, look, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to-"

"Yeah, just because I bought you a drink, you owe me something!" She sobbed as she lifted her head. "Why does everyone think I am like this? I'm not some stupid whore! I have feelings, you know!"

Leonardo suddenly grabbed her hands. " Hey!" The girl stopped crying instantly.

"I'm sorry, okay? That was completely out of line. I didn't mean it." Leonardo offered her a comforting smile and she relaxed a little.

"I'm sorry too," the girl wiped at her eyes with a tissue from her purse. "I've just had a rough day, and I-" She stopped and looked at Leonardo. "You probably don't want to hear about. I'll leave you alone."

Leonardo held onto her hand as she stood up. "If you need to talk to someone, just stay here. I'll listen."

The girl sniffled. "Are you sure?"

"Apart from being making an ass out of myself, I listen very well."

The girl laughed at Leonardo and sat back down. "Will you tell me your name this time?"

Leonardo nodded. "But only after I hear yours."

The girl smiled and pushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "It's Christina."


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Raphael woke the next morning to the smell of cooking food, and it went straight to his stomach.

"Aw, crap."

Raphael grabbed at his mouth and rushed into the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time. A second after he had emptied the contents of his stomach, Raphael felt a searing pain rip through his head, causing him to slide down to the floor. He laid in a fetal position until he was sure his nausea had passed, then found the strength to climb to his feet. He opened the medicine cabinet above the sink and went directly for the aspirin. He washed down three tablets with the water from the sink, then splashed more water on his face. Raphael then looked into the mirror and noticed his red, swollen eyes.

"Good God," Raphael stuck out his tongue and gagged at his reflection. "And that, Raphael, is why you don't drink."

He also noticed he was still wearing the same clothes from the night before, minus his leather jacket and shoes. He walked back into his bedroom and found them neatly piled on his dresser. He shrugged, then changed into a black New York Yankee's T-shirt and a pair of gray sweat pants.

After a slow decent down the stairs, Raphael walked into the dining room, shielding his eyes from the sunlight that poured in through the huge windows. He took a seat at the table, then noticed Leonardo, Donatello and Splinter. Michelangelo was busy in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone. Raphael held the urge to throw up again from the smells that invaded his nose.

"Mornin' beautiful!" Michelangelo exclaimed as he dropped a large plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of Raphael. "Hope you're hungry!"

Leonardo and Donatello chuckled as Raphael pushed the plate away with one finger.

"Just coffee for right now, "Raphael muttered. He folded his arms onto the table and buried his head, letting out a long moan once his eyes were covered. Michelangelo brought over a cup of coffee and purposely slammed it down next to Raphael's head. The vibrations echoed in Raphael's head, and his brothers laughed again. Raphael lifted his head up, and glared at Michelangelo, but found it hurt his head too much.

"You guys are so cruel," He said as he re-buried his head.

"Didn't I tell you to watch your alcohol, Raph?" Leonardo flipped over a page in the sports section of the newspaper.

"I did." Raphael reached for his coffee and took a small sip. "I lost count after beer number five."

Donatello put down the section of the paper he was reading, and reached for the small writing tablet that sat between him and Leonardo.

"Well, let's see exactly how much you did have." He cleared his throat and read off of the list. " Eight beers, five shots of tequila, and one vodka-jell-O ball."

" Jell-O," Raphael nodded. "So, that's what gave my vomit that weird taste."

Leo immediately dropped his fork. "And we're done with the eggs."

"Who drove my car home last night?" Raphael asked as he picked at the toast on his plate. He eyed Michelangelo, who had set down a small plate of plain toast and a cup of hot tea in front of Splinter. "It better had not been you either!"

Michelangelo raised up his hands. "One time I take your car, and I'm the bad guy." He grabbed his own plate from the counter then took as seat next to Leonardo. "Vanessa did, so there. She also helped you to bed."

Upon hearing Vanessa's name, Raphael raised his head to Leonardo, who saw the panic in his brothers' eyes. Leonardo held up his palm and shook his head. Raphael let go of the breath he had been holding and relaxed.

"So, Leo, what happened between you and that hot blonde chick?" Michelangelo asked as he crunch through a strip of bacon.

Leonardo took a sip of his tea before he spoke. "We had a nice conversation, that's all."

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "What hot blonde chick? Where was I?"

"Passed out on the dance floor." Donatello said sarcastically as he traded with Leonardo the business section of the paper for the sports.

Raphael made a face at his brother, then looked back at Leonardo. "You talked to a hot blonde chick, and all you did was have a nice conversation?"

"Well, I did get her phone number," Leonardo shrugged.

"Yes, Raph," Donatello rose from the table, then glared at his brother. "Not everyone brings a girl home on the first night, you know." As he walked into the kitchen, he could feel Raphael's eyes piercing through his shell.

"We're supposed to do something tonight. I should call her." Leonardo stood up, grabbed his plate, and joined Donatello in the kitchen.

Splinter finished his tea and toast, then rose from the table. "Thank you for my breakfast, Michelangelo. I will now retire to my garden."

"I'll be out there shortly, sensi!" Leonardo called out from the kitchen as Splinter exited the front doors. As soon as Raphael heard the door shut, he stood up and stomped over to the sink where Leonardo and Donatello stood doing the dishes.

"Don't you EVER do that again!" Raphael stepped in between them and shoved his finger in Donatello's face.

"What are you talking about?" Donatello pushed Raphael's finger away with his wet hand.

" Oh, come on! That list of all the booze I drank, then that comment about bringing girls home! Don't ever say shit like that in front of Splinter!"

Donatello dried his hands as his turned to face Raphael. "Raph, Splinter is not incompetent. He knows more than you think he does."

Raphael clenched his fists tighter. " How many drinks I've had or how many women I've been with is nobody's fuckin' business!" He then turned back towards the table, grabbed his plate and coffee mug, then walked towards the living room. It was only until the sound of the television hit their ears that Leonardo spoke.

"Really, Donnie," Leonardo went to the table and straighten up the paper. "There was no need for that."

Donatello reached for the coffee pot and poured himself another cup. " Stop defending him, Leo. Raph needs to learn that life isn't a big party."

Leonardo turned sharply. "I wasn't defending him."

Donatello scoffed. "Yes, you did. Ever since what happened in that warehouse, you have been cleaning up the messes he makes. You never used to do that."

"Come on, Don. Aren't you being a little rude?" Michelangelo cut into the conversation.

Donatello set down his coffee and pointed at him. "Do you want me to talk about you? How you do absolutely nothing around here?"

"Hey!" Michelangelo stood up. " I do plenty around here! I clean the house! I cook for you guys!"

" How about going out and helping us make a house payment?" Raphael came out from the living room doorway he had been standing in and walked towards the table.

"I have a job!" Michelangelo said in his defense. " I make enough to make my car payment at least!"

"Don't talk to Mike about getting a real job, Raph, when you don't even have one!" Donatello stepped closer to his brothers.

Raphael felt his blood pressure rising. "Oh, so you think since you're the youngest professor ever in New York State history to teach at the University, that makes you better than us!"

"At least I make a six-figure income," Donatello whispered to himself as he pushed in his chair. When he rose his head, he found Raphael inches from his face.

"I heard what you said." Raphael growled.

"So! Do you think I care!" Donatello growled back.

" I get free comics!" Michelangelo joked.

"SHUT UP MIKEY!" Raphael and Donatello turned their heads and screamed.

The arguing among the three continued as Leonardo stood in silence. He closed his eyes, squeezed his fists, and ground his teeth together, trying to hold back his anger. But when Raphael shoved Donatello backwards, he knew it was time to step in.

"Stop it you guys," Leonardo said quietly, but it fell on deaf ears. "I said, stop it!" Once again, there was no response, and they had finally pushed him to the boiling point.

"ALL RIGHT! I SAID ENOUGH!" Leonardo screamed at the top of his lungs. His brothers stopped and blankly stared at him. Leonardo took a deep breath before he spoke.

"What is the matter with you guys?" He looked all of them in the eyes. " After all we have been through, I would at least think you guys would have a little more appreciation for each other. We're lucky to even be alive, remember that." He watched as his brothers lowered their heads in shame, then turned towards the door.

"And you guys wonder why Splinter spends so much time in the greenhouse." Leonardo said before walking through the doors.

Once out on the porch, Leonardo took a deep breath of the early afternoon ocean air, trying to rid his brain of all noise caused by his siblings. He rubbed at his eyes, cursing the pollen under his breath, and started to walk off the porch. A rustling noise from behinds the hedges that lined the driveway startled Leonardo, causing him to immediately go into a defense mood. The nosie stopped, making Leonardo laugh at himself.

"Probably some stray cat again," He said as he began to walk off the porch again, but stopped when the noise returned. He looked over at the hedges and watched as they shook violently, as if from an earthquake. Then the source of the shaking appeared before Leonardo.

"Shredder..." Leonardo muttered as the figure of his old mortal enemy emerged from the hedges, shaking the ground with every step he took. Leonardo could not move, nor could he call for help. He stood paralyzed as the Shredder moved closer towards him, holding an all too familiar Japanese sword in his hands. Leonardo's eyes grew big as the monstrous figure stood over him, the stench of rotting flesh spewing out of his decaying body. The Shredder suddenly flung the sword above his head, waiting for the right moment to bring it down to strike Leonardo.

Then, Leonardo heard a voice cry out.

_Please, don't hate me. I never meant to hurt you._

"Nooooooooooo!" Leonardo cried out, falling to the ground and covering his head while the sword fell onto him.

"Leo! Hey, Leo! Are you okay?"

Leonardo held his breath as he heard Vanessa's voice above him. He lifted his head off of the paved driveway, and looked around before breathing again.

"Are you okay? What happened to you?" She grabbed his hands and helped Leonardo to his feet, following his eyes towards the hedges across from them.

"It's- it's nothing. I'm fine." Leonardo rubbed at his eyes again, feeling them water up from the irritation. Vanessa dug into his purse and pulled out a small bottle of eye drops.

"Here. Use this." She watched as he placed the drops into his eyes then smiled as he squeezed his eyes together, then blinked several times.

"Thanks," Leonardo handed the drops back to her.

"Now, are you sure you're all right?" Vanessa asked.

Leonardo nodded. "I'm fine. Trust me." Vanessa nodded in agreement, then headed for the front door.

"Hey, uh, be careful going in there. World War Four just finished up." Leonardo joked.

"Are they fighting again?" Vanessa grumbled. "Don't worry. I'll kick some ass for you!"

Leonardo laughed, watching her enter the house, but soon stopped as he looked back at the hedges, feeling a shiver travel up his spine.

Splinter opened his eyes when Leonardo approached, smiling as Leonardo took the place directly across from him on the marble platform, where he shifted around until he was comfortable.

"Sorry it took me so long, sensi," Leonardo bowed. " I had to, uh, hold down the fort."

Splinter nodded. "It is all right, my son. You are here. That is all that matters to this old rat." He began to start his meditation again when Leonardo spoke.

"Sensi?"

"Yes, Leonardo?"

Leonardo lowered his head and rubbed his palms together. " I know I've asked you this before, but, doesn't it bother you that my brothers don't join us, or doing anything with you anymore?"

Splinter sighed. " Leonardo, you and your brothers are growing. You are no longer the young students I once had, and if your brothers do not wish to train any further, then that is what they choose."

Leonardo looked back into the rat's eyes. "It doesn't bother you at all?"

"Even if it did, Leonardo, I will not force them." Splinter said. " Now the question is, does it bother you?"

Leonardo thought for a moment. " In a way, yes. Our training kept us in line. We were more respectful to each other." Leonardo thought about what he had said, thinking about how he and Raphael always fought. "Well, for the most part it did."

Splinter reached across and grabbed Leonardo's hands into his own. "Do not worry yourself with this, my son. All of you are growing up. One day, you will not live in this house together. But when you are gone from here, I do want all of you to remember all of the hardships you faced, for that is what brings us closer together."

Leonardo sighed, wishing the others could have been there to hear what their father has just said. "I know."

"They will come to know this too, Leonardo. They will learn this lesson in time."

Linda stood on the balcony of the apartment she shared with her cousin, looking down on the busy New York City streets. It was a far cry from the peaceful mountains of Japan, and she missed it dearly. She had felt so at home there, and the other residents of the temple had become her new family. Despite all of those things, she still missed her parents and would hope every day that she was in the middle of some terrible nightmare and would wake up to find everything was the way it had been. Many times she wanted to blame Splinter and the Turtles for coming into her life, feeling that somehow if they had never met, maybe things would have been different. But as angry as she had been, she couldn't blame them, and she knew that meeting Leonardo was her destiny, even if things had gone wrong.

A loud yawn from behind Linda made her turn around, seeing her cousin standing in the doorway wearing a white silk tank top and the matching pants.

"Morning." Linda joked, knowing it was after one in the afternoon. Christina stretched as she walked over to the balcony and joined Linda.

"Did you have a good time last night?" Linda asked, pretending to be interested.

Christina yawned again. "No, and yes."

Linda turned back towards Christina, wondering why her cousin gave her such a weird answer. "What happened?"

"Well, first of all, Barry was totally ignoring me when we got there, then he ended up dancing with some skanky hoe all night while I sat at the bar drinking my money away."

"I'm sorry," Linda sympathized.

"It got worse," Christina lifted up her blonde hair and tied it back with a white hair band.

"He left with that same girl, and I had no way home!"

Linda's jaw dropped."That's terrible!"

Christina then smiled. "But, I did meet someone else, who was so nice and so sweet, and he made me feel so much better about things." She looked at Linda and smiled again. "He even brought me home this morning. How sweet is that?"

Linda nodded. "Yes, that was very nice of him. Remind me to thank him for it."

"Why?" Christina asked.

"Because I'm glad I didn't get a phone call at one in the morning from my crying cousin asking me to come get her."

"You are so mean sometimes." Christina crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "Besides, you know you would come and get me anyway. You'd feel guilty if you didn't!"

Linda turned around and rolled her eyes. "Sure, I would." She walked back into the apartment and sat down on the large white sectional couch, then watched as her cousin followed her back in and sat down across from her.

"He's supposed to call me later. I think we're going to a movie, or dinner or something."

Linda picked up a copy of Comso from the coffee table and held it up in front of her face, not wanting to hear anymore of what Christina had to say. Suddenly, she felt pressure on the magazine and looked up as Christina pushed it down.

"His has brothers! They might be single!"

"No, thank you!" Linda shoved her nose back into the magazine, secretly wishing that the floor would open up and swallow her cousin.

Christina looked up at the ceiling in a dreamy stare. "He has such a sexy name too. It's-"

The ringing sound of the cordless phone sounded from the kitchen, causing Christina to shriek in excitement and causing Linda to jump in fear. She again rolled her eyes as Christina mouthed 'it's him!' to her and jumped around she talked. Linda buried her face in her hands, once again regretting her move to the city.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Leonardo and Raphael stood together quietly as the surveyed the city streets below them from a twenty-story roof ledge. It was three in the morning, and yet the city was still as busy as it was during the day. Cars and taxis honked their horns at each other, and the sidewalks were lined with people, except at this time of the day, the people were the lowlifes of the city: the drug addicts, the prostitutes, the thieves. They were living their lives like their more civilized daytime counterparts. But after living in New York for so long, the Turtles had begun to see that the line between the two had blurred. One had become like the other.

Leonardo stretched his arms far above his head, and Raphael's silence was broken by the sound of Leonardo's cracking bones.

"Damn, Leo," Raphael looked over at his brother and laughed. " Are ya gettin old or what?"

Leonardo rubbed his upper arm and laughed along with Raphael. " I guess so. Man, that hurt."

Raphael looked back across the tops of the buildings, feeling the anticipation of their monthly morning run creep up on him. He cracked his knuckles, then flexed out his fingers.

"Are ya ready?" He glanced back over at Leonardo, who was still in the process of stretching.

"Just about," Leonardo replied as he finished, then he reached around to place the hood of his black sweatshirt over his head. Raphael did the same.

"Okay," Leonardo pointed out over the rooftops. "Well go up four blocks, make a right, then go for another four, and then go straight towards the park." He looked over at Raphael. "Can you handle that or is it too much for you?"

Raphael shook his head. "Might be too much for an old timer like you!" He then jumped across the street to the next rooftop and took off at top speed.

"Hey! I didn't say 'GO'!" Leonardo yelled after him, then jumped across to the next roof.

Raphael laughed to himself, remembering how in the past he would always get a jump start on his brother, which would always make Leonardo mad. He jumped across to another building, then turned sharply. He closed his eyes for a second, savoring the feeling of the chilly morning air against his face. Nothing made him feel more alive than running free like this, and he wished it would happen every day, not just one day out of every month, like it had been in his younger days. Raphael often longed for the old days when he could run across the rooftops forever, but he knew things had changed, and that old life was behind him. But he had never taken that freedom for granted, and he made sure he enjoyed every minute of it.

Raphael snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps behind him, and he knew instantly Leonardo had caught up with him. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself harder, but the effort was lost when he looked over and saw Leonardo pass by him, running so fast he seemed to be flying across the rooftops. Raphael cursed himself as he felt his old enemy jealously creep up on him. Leonardo was the only one of the four of them that still trained every day, and with him now teaching what they had learn to others, Leonardo was in the best shape of his life. Raphael did manage to get in some weight lifting every day, but his laziness had focused on his mid-section and made his abs turned into mush. Raphael knew there was no one to blame but himself and he continued to push on.

When Raphael finally arrived in Central Park, Leonardo was waiting for him at the duck pond. He made a face as he watched Leonardo reach into the front pocket of his hoodie and pull out a half loaf of bread, then ripped it up for the many ducks and geese that had gathered around him. Raphael was still in the process of catching his breath when he walked up behind Leonardo.

"You brought bread with you this time?" Raphael laughed as he sat down on a nearby rock, kicking at the ducks that stood in his way.

"Yeah," Leonardo finished and wiped the bread crumbs off his hands. "I felt bad that I didn't last time."

Raphael made another face. "You felt bad? They're ducks, Leo. I don't think they really care."

Leonardo shrugged and sat down on another rock directly across from Raphael. "They appreciate it, and they thank me for it."

Raphael grabbed his stomach as he erupted into fits of laughter. "They thank you? That is the weirdest thing I have ever heard you say!"

Leonardo stared at Raphael blankly. "All living things have feelings, Raph."

Raphael slowed down his laughter, then wiped at the tear that hung under his eye. "If you say so."

Leonardo smiled and shook his head, turning towards the water and watching as the breeze made the water ripple. "So, today's the big day. Are you excited?"

"Excited does not begin to describe it, Leo," Raphael shoved his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie. "Do you know how long I've wanted to see Metallica?"

" Eleven years." Leonardo said without thinking.

Raphael felt shocked. " I guess you do know. But I don't know if Vanessa is going with me. Chad was giving her shit about it."

Leonardo felt Raphael's body tense up and could see his fists ball up inside his pocket.

"Man, I wanna get that guy so bad." Raphael growled between his clenched teeth. " I don't even know what she sees in him. It makes me go insane."

A worried look came over Leonardo's face. "Calm down, Raph."

Raphael looked over at his brother, then relaxed a little. "Sorry. I just- god- I don't know."

Leonardo smiled. "You are so head over heals for her. It's cute."

"Cute?" Raphael stuck out his tongue and made a gagging noise. " Don't even say that!"

Leonardo laughed at him, and Raphael quickly changing the subject.

"What about you? What's going on with that Christina chick?"

Leonardo blushed a little and turned his eyes back to the water. " Not much. We are going out again tonight."

Raphael shook his head and followed Leonardo's line of sight towards the water. " I can't believe you've been seeing her for three weeks."

Leonardo made a confused face and looked back at Raphael. "Why is that so unbelievable?"

"You guys have nothin in common." Raphael grabbed a rock and flung it across the top of the water. " She's too prissy and whiney. I don't how you put up with it."

"She's not like that," Leonardo picked up a rock, throwing his out farther than Raphael's.

" You have to get to know her. She's actually a really fun person."

Raphael narrowed his eyes at Leonardo's rock, then threw another, which fell short of his brother's. " Well, from where I was standing that day she came over to the house, she seemed whiney to me. And she wears too much makeup. Unless you like dating a clown, then it's okay."

Leonardo laughed and shook his head, throwing another rock over the water, which beat the distance of the first one. Raphael growled and sat back down, giving up on his competition.

"Seriously, Leo. Do you see this as a long time thing or what?"

Leonardo looked down at the ground under his tennis shoes. "I don't know. I just wanted to have a little fun and hang out with someone. I'm not serious about her, if that's what you mean."

Raphael nodded. "Yeah it was what I meant, and I'm glad you said that it wasn't serious."

Leonardo looked back up, wrinkling his forehead. "Why do you say that?"

"Can you really see her bein my sister-in-law? I'd have to duct tape her mouth shut, then bury her in a hole in the ground."

Laughter bursted from Leonardo as he stood. " It could be worse. We could set her up with Mikey. Imagine how their kids would turn out."

Raphael cringed. "That's a frighten thought, Leo. Don't tell me stuff like that!"

Leonardo laughed harder. "Come, on. Let's get going. I'll race you to the subway."

"You're on!" Raphael jumped to his feet and they took off, just as the sun started to rise behind them.

Later that morning, Donatello pulled his black Toyota Tacoma into the University's parking garage and shut off the engine. He glanced at his watch, noting that he still had an hour until his first class started. He jumped out of the truck, locking it with the key switch as he walked to the elevator, and began to run his class curriculum over again in his head. He approached the elevator, and pushed the button that read down. When the doors opened, he turned his head around, looking to see if anyone else was on the level with him. Donatello smiled as he stepped back from the doors and headed for the open space between the levels of the garage. He glanced down, searching the alley below him for any sign of life, and was very pleased to find it emptied. He tossed his briefcase down into a pile of garbage bags, took one last look around, then flung himself over the edge. He landed perfectly on his feet, catching his balance with his arms. Donatello smiled to himself as he stood. He looked back up at the level he jumped from, then opened his briefcase, taking out a small black notebook.

"April 29th," Donatello said as he wrote in the notebook. "Six stories. Landed on my feet this time." To which he added a little smiley face, then he shook his head.

"I am so out of shape it's not even funny."

He closed the notebook and flung it back into his briefcase. After straightening his tie and jacket, he walked out of the alley and crossed the street.

"Oh, crap!" Donatello smacked his forehead and looked back up at the level he parked on. "I forgot my coffee." He then remembered there was a coffee shop a couple blocks away.

"And since I forgot my Spiderman costume, I'll just go buy some more."

He made the short walk over to 12th, and stood in front of the building, reading the sign that hung above the sidewalk.

"Books and Brew?" Donatello said making a face. " Sounds like a hangout for witches."

He shrugged his shoulders then entered the door, hearing bells chime as he entered, which reminded him of Leonardo's dojo. Donatello looked around the inside of the store, absorbing the feeling of relaxation that was in the air. A section of the store included a few small tables and a large burnt orange colored couch. In the back was the book section, filled with all of the new releases and the old classics. He then noticed more than 90 percent of the patrons in the store were dressed in Goth attire, and suddenly felt very out of place in his navy suit.

Donatello cleared his throat and pulled at the knot in his necktie as he approached the counter, trying to block the many eyes that stared at him. The girl at the counter was also dressed Gothic, but it was more subtle than the others, and her blackened eyes were glued to the Anne Rice novel she had propped up in front of her. She turned the ends of her light brown hair around her right index finger as she read. Donatello stood at the counter for a couple of minutes before talking.

"Uh, excuse me?"

The girl looked up, then quickly shoved the book under the counter. Donatello noticed the girl didn't even bother marking her place.

"Sorry sir." The girl smiled as she ran her hands over her apron, getting out the wrinkles. "What can I do for you?"

Donatello looked at the chalk board menu above her head, not really knowing any of the weird drinks they served.

"Well, uh," He peered down at her name tag. "Angelina."

"Angie." The girl quickly corrected him.

"Okay, Angie," Donatello laughed slightly. "I'm not really sure what I want." He looked back over the menu. "Don't you have just plain, black coffee?"

A hush fell over the entire store, causing Donatello to turn around, seeing many eyeballs looking at him once again. He nervously smiled then turned back around.

"We don't say that around here," Angie whispered to Donatello as she covered her mouth with her hand. She nodded towards the people. "This is like one of those new trendy places and just plain coffee is like a bad word."

Donatello was a loss for words. "Okay, um. Well, what do you suggest?"

"Actually I don't drink this stuff here." Angie lean forward and whispered again. "Too much caffeine is bad for you."

Donatello felt his body sink down. "I'll just take a blueberry bagel then." He sharply turned around to see if anyone was going to object, but found no one had paid attention this time. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Well, at least I can still get away eating something in here."

Angie laughed as she rang up his total on the register while Donatello handed her the money, but soon found out the door on the register was stuck.

"Not again!" Angie growled as she banged on it with her fist. "Hang on. Linda! Come here!"

"What?" a voice rang out from the back room behind the register.

"The damn register is stuck again." Angie looked back at Donatello and smiled. "Sorry about this. It happens quite often."

Donatello waved his hand. "It's okay. I have time." Then Angie's words bounced back through his subconscious. "Hey, did you just say-"

Donatello's unfinished question was answered when a familiar face appeared around the corner. His mouth dropped as Linda walked towards Angie, not looking up as she did.

"I thought Randy fixed this," Angie place her hand on the counter and leaned on it. Linda smacked the side of the register a few times, then banged on it with her fist.

"Well, apparently Randy is a liar." Linda gave up and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll call him. He's probably in another drunken stupor."

"Here, take care of this guy." Angie said pointing at Donatello. "I'll go call him." As Angie disappeared into the back, Linda turned towards Donatello, her eyes still fixed on the register as she talked to him.

"I'm really sorry about this."

Donatello laughed a little, then reached back into his pocket. "It's okay. I have the correct change." He folded the money into his right palm then shoved it towards Linda. Linda placed her hand out to take the money, looking just in time to see a three fingered green hand. She froze in place as her eyes traveled up the arm and met with a familiar pair of hazel eyes, which she almost couldn't place without the purple mask she was used to seeing.

"So, is it like this every day?" Donatello said, showing Linda a friendly smile.

"Oh God! Donatello!" Linda jumped right over the counter and embraced him in a giant bear hug, not caring about the people who were now watching them.

"It's great to see you, Linda." Donatello said after they pulled away. "Hey, you cut your hair!"

Linda ran her fingers across the bottom of her hair, which was now shoulder length.

"Yeah."

"When did you get back? How come you never told us?"

Linda laughed as Donatello's questions flew at her. "Six months ago and, well, I don't know why."

"Okay, Randy is coming to fix it," Angie said as she returned to the counter, realizing Linda was now on the opposite side. "What's going on? Is it break already?"

"No," Linda laughed. " Your customer is actually an old friend of mine."

Donatello noticed Angie's eyes widen as she glanced back and forth between them. " That's not him, is it?" Which Donatello knew she meant Leonardo.

Linda shook her head violently. "No! This is Donatello." She looked back at Donatello. "And you've met Angie."

Donatello nodded. "Yes, we've grown close this morning." Angie laughed loudly, flashing her white teeth in a big smile. Donatello looked at her a bit longer. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

Linda answered Donatello's question. " She goes to the University."

"Really?" Donatello moved towards a table in the back as Linda and Angie followed. " What's your major?"

"Anthropology."

"That's impressive," Donatello nodded, feeling a bit shocked by her answer.

"Why do you say that?" Angie became defensive.

"I've only seen all the really pretty students going into Drama and Theater." Donatello then realized what had come out of his mouth as he watched Angie blush.

"Well aren't you straightforward?" Angie giggled.

"Well," Donatello tried to defend himself. "I just meant that you don't usually see smart and pretty in the same package."

"Donatello," Linda shook her head. "You're going deeper into that hole you've dug."

Donatello sighed, then laughed at himself. "You're right. I've become a blubbering idiot."

Angie smiled again, feeling the flush in her cheeks. "Well, I need to get back to my novel, I mean, back to work." Donatello and Linda laughed with her as she turned around and went back to the counter.

After a moment, Linda spoke up. "She's single."

"What are you implying?" Donatello picked at his bagel. Linda shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Donatello shook his head. "Anyway, even if I wanted to, there are rules against teachers and students doing that sort of thing."

Linda gave him a look that reminded him of Raphael. "Don't give me that."

"I'm serious!" Donatello raised his hands, then changed the conversation back to Linda. "Anyway, what have you been doing since you came back?"

"This," Linda pointed her finger and traced it around the room. "Exciting, huh?"

Donatello looked around the store again, noticing that no one even had a smile on their face. "Too exciting if you ask me." He looked back at Linda, seeing a change in her expression. He knew what she wanted to know, but waited until Linda spoke to him first.

"How is-"

"He's doing good." Donatello interrupted her. " Did Splinter tell you he bought a place in Queens and opened a dojo?"

Linda's face lit up. " Really?"

"Yeah, he teaches. Mainly kids. The kids love him."

Linda leaned back into the chair, feeling tears in her eyes, but she didn't want to start crying. "Is he- seeing anyone?"

Donatello froze, not wanting to answer the question. His long pause confirmed the truth to Linda.

"I'm sorry, Linda."

"It's okay," She waved her hands. " It was my fault. I asked." Linda wiped at her eyes, wanting to ask so much more but feeling guilty for putting so much pressure on Donatello. Before she could say another word, Donatello glanced at his watch and stood up.

"I have to get going. My class starts in ten minutes." He smiled and grabbed Linda into another hug. "It was so good to see you again."

Linda returned the embrace. "It was good to see you too. Stop by anytime."

Donatello reached for the door, then looked back at Angie, who flashed her brown eyes and a smile at him. "I just might do that."

Linda said goodbye as Donatello exited the store, and she watched as he ran across the street. After Donatello disappeared from view, Linda walked back to the counter, and flopped down on a chair in the back room, and finally released the tears she had been holding onto for so long.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Raphael sat in his Mustang outside of a large house in Queens. He had turned the engine off but left the radio on, and listened to the disc jockey talking about the concert he was on his way to. He stared at the front doors of the house, repressing the feeling of busting them down and whisking Vanessa away from Chad. His eyes wondered from the house to the fountain in the middle of the driveway, then around to the little bit of backyard he could see from where he sat, noticing part of a pool, a tennis court, and a basketball court. Raphael let out a long sigh, opened the car door, and walked to the gate.

"Hello?" A voice called out to him as he approached the huge iron gate. He glared at the speaker, then pressed the button.

"I'm here for Vanessa," Raphael said, hoping whoever was on the other side wasn't planning on a conversation.

"Oh, it's you." The voice sneered. Raphael recognized the voice as Chad's, then rolled his eyes. Before he could respond, the iron gate creaked and slowly opened. Raphael left his car behind and traveled on foot to the front doors, where he was greeted by a tall, young looking man with sandy blonde hair, who then smiled wickedly at Raphael.

"Didn't I tell you not to bother Vanessa?" Chad crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, blocking Raphael from entering.

"Didn't I tell you I was gonna kick your-"

"Raph! Hey!" Vanessa appeared beside of Chad and finished inserting an ear ring.

"You know I don't approve of you dressing like that," Chad pointed to Vanessa's leather skirt and knee-high leather boots.

"Oh come on!" Vanessa laughed as she playfully shoved Chad. "It's a rock concert."

"Yes, I know," Chad looked back at Raphael, then continued to talk to Vanessa. "When is it over?"

"Around midnight," Raphael answered.

"And I expect you back directly after it's over." Chad pointed at Vanessa as she walked past him.

"Lighten up Chad, geesh," Vanessa whispered to herself as she grabbed Raphael's arm. Raphael turned around one more time and glared at Chad, who quickly disappeared behind the doors.

"Why do you let him talk down to you like that?" Raphael growled. "It pisses me off."

They walked by the fountain and Raphael stopped her. "Speaking of which, can I take a piss in his fountain?"

Vanessa became disgusted by Raphael's suggestion. "Ew, no! Now come on!" Vanessa rushed ahead of Raphael and climbed in the Mustang. Raphael then jumped in, and back out into the street. They sat in silence for about a mile until Raphael finally spoke.

"You could do so much better."

Vanessa sighed and leaned her head on her hand. "Raph, can we please not go into this again? I know you hate Chad, and I know you think he treats me bad, but like I have told you before, it's not what you think it is. So, please, just drop it." She looked over and waited for a response. Raphael didn't answer her, but instead turn the volume up on the radio and pushed on the gas pedal as they went across the bridge that led into the city.

Leonardo held onto his stomach as he once again laughed at Christina's impression of her younger brother. He felt a small cramp in his side, but couldn't stop laughing long enough to even feel any pain from it.

"Your brother reminds me of Mikey when he was younger," Leonardo said after his laughter had died down a bit.

Christina took a small sip of her glass of wine and smiled. "Did I tell you about that time I dared him to shove jelly beans up his nose? My god, my mom had a cow!"

"You tortured that poor kid! And you wonder why he doesn't call you." Leonardo lifted up his glass and swirled the dark red liquid around.

Christina shrugged. "I don't mind. We needed some time apart anyway." She flipped the curled ends on her hair off of her shoulder and leaned forward. "So, are you coming to my party? You never answered me."

"You never gave me a chance to." Leonardo said after finally taking a drink of his wine. He jumped as he felt Christina's foot slid up and down his calf muscle.

"That's because I expect an immediate response," She smiled wickedly at Leonardo, who cleared his throat and moved his leg away.

"Uh, can I bring my brothers with me?" Leonardo asked, adverting his eyes away from Christina's enticing stare.

"Sure! The more, the merrier!"

The waiter appeared and laid the check down on the table. Leonardo looked at the check, then back at Christina, who had opened up her purse, only to pull out her makeup and reapply her lipstick. Leonardo reached over and picked the check up, feeling slightly faint when he saw the total cost of the dinner they had just ate. Leonardo then realized every place they had gone to was fancy and upscale, and his wallet was beginning to show just how upscale the restaurants were. But Leonardo was too much of a gentleman to ask for help with the bill. He took out his credit card and sighed as he handed it over to the waiter.

When Leonardo returned home later that night, he walked through the front doors, removed his shoes, then headed straight for the living room. Donatello and Michelangelo were battling each other on the Play Station system as he entered the room and flopped down on the couch. Donatello was the first to notice him.

" Bad night?"

Then Michelangelo spoke up. "Did you kiss her yet?" He ducked as Donatello's hand came flying at his head.

Leonardo rubbed his temples. " I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

Donatello dropped the controller and moved over to the couch, sitting down next to Leonardo. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what am I doing with Christina?" Leonardo raised his hands into the air. " Raph was right. She's too highbrow for me. I'm going broke just feeding her!"

"She's used to it. You know that." Donatello said, not offering any kind of help. "Rich, spoiled, people beget rich, spoiled kids."

"I can't take it anymore, Donnie." Leonardo sighed. " She's fun and everything, but she expects too much from me." He looked over at Donatello. "Besides she touches me too much."

Donatello exploded into laughter. "Touches you too much?" Leonardo glared at him. "I'm sorry, Leo. It's funny that you're complaining about it."

"It's not funny, Donnie." Leonardo said, feeling annoyed. "You know I'm not like that."

Michelangelo turned around. "But you were with-" A pillow in the face from Donatello cut his words short. Leonardo sighed and sat back up, not noting what his brother was about to say.

"I just need to tell her that we need some time apart or something. She's having a party at her apartment next weekend-"

"A party!" Michelangelo jumped up, then dropped the controller on his toes. "Damn, that hurt!"

Leonardo laughed at Michelangelo. "I already told her we were going. I'll just wait until after that."

"We?" Donatello made a face. " I don't know if I want to go. She annoys me too much."

"See! That is the same thing Raph said!" Leonardo stood up, finally removing his coat. " Do you feel the same way, Mikey?"

Michelangelo leaned his head to one side. " A little, but look who you're talking to. I'm the king of annoying."

"Geesh, Mikey," Donatello said as he stood up, grabbing his bag of pretzels and headed for the kitchen. Leonardo followed him, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filled it with ice and water from the refrigerator.

"Was I really that way with Linda?" Leonardo said as he stared into his glass.

Donatello, who felt he had enough of awkward conversations for the day, shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess."

Leonardo looked at his brother and sensed something. Donatello felt Leonardo's eyes on him and it made him uneasy.

"What?"

Leonardo walked closer to him. " You saw her today, didn't you?"

"How do you do that?" Donatello backed away from Leonardo and moved out of the kitchen. "Yes, I saw her and I talked to her. She's doing good. She asked about you. What else do you want to know?"

Leonardo stood still, not really knowing what to say since Donatello had answered all of his questions. "Nothing."

"Good. I don't want to be stuck in the middle of this any more than I already am." Donatello said with a hint of resentment in his voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Leonardo watched as Donatello made a left turn, then heard the sound of the study room door slam shut.

He knew Donatello was tired of his problems, as they all were. Leonardo's past few visits with Dr. Foster had been helping, and he was starting to open up more about his relationship with Linda.But Donatello's news of Linda being back in the city made Leonardo feel as if he had been shoved in a corner with no way out. He felt his air passage close up and he tugged at his shirt collar. He carried his water back into the living room and sat down, trying to ignore the fact that the room seemed to be spinning. He leaned over and closed his eyes, holding his face with his hands, and waited for his sickness to pass.

"Leo? You okay?"

Leonardo lifted his head and came face to face with Michelangelo. His younger brother blinked his brown eyes a few times as he studied Leonardo.

"Donnie told you, huh?" Michelangelo leaned back out of Leonardo's face and returned back to his sketch book. " I told him not to."

Leonardo then noticed Michelangelo had several sketch books opened around him, along with the 200 count box of colored pencils he had bought Michelangelo for Christmas last year.

"What's all this Mikey?" Leonardo asked curiously as he lifted one of the sketch pads. The drawing on the page was of the four of them, back when they were ninjas, sitting in a regal pose on top of a building. Leonardo smiled, impressed with the wonderful talent that Michelangelo was born with.

"It's just something I've been working on, that's all." Michelangelo shrugged. He held up another book and tossed it to Leonardo. "Tell me what you think."

Leonardo flipped the front page up and saw what looked like comic book paneling around the edges of the drawing, and as he looked closer, the drawings were again of him and his brothers in their early days. Leonardo read Michelangelo's writing in the panels and realized it was all about their life story. He read all of the pages in the sketch book, closed it, then looked back at Michelangelo, who was nervously chewing on his pencil.

"Well? What do you think?" Michelangelo's eyes lit up in anticipation.

Leonardo looked back at the cover of the sketch book and rubbed his head. " It's good, but Mikey, it's about us."

"You don't think people would want to read about us?" Michelangelo took the book back from Leonardo and flipped back through it. " Have you ever stopped and thought about all the cool stuff we've done? We have all kinds of interesting stories to tell!" He held the book up and shook it. "And I could do it all through a comic book, Leo! Think about it!"

Leonardo leaned back into the couch. "I don't know, Mikey. Publishing something like that may be easy, but getting people interested in it, that's hard. You know. You work in a comic book store. You see what people buy."

"That's why I'm telling you! It will sell like crazy! Everyone I've talked to at the store said they loved the idea!" Leonardo moved over as Michelangelo joined him on the couch. "I just need a little help getting it done, and you're they only one that would help me." He then lowered his head. "Raph and Don wouldn't understand, but you do."

Leonardo grabbed the book back and looked through it again, running Michelangelo's idea over in his head. "What do you need?"

"Well, I need two thousand for publishing costs-"

"Two thousand!" Leonardo exclaimed.

"Hang on, Leo. Don't have a cow," Michelangelo said as he patted Leonardo on the shoulder. " I've saved up about a thousand, but I need to borrow the rest."

Leonardo smiled. "You've been saving your money? Those years of yelling at you finally paid off."

Michelangelo nodded. " Well, I really wanted to make this happen. So, will you help me? Please?"

Leonardo's eyes went over the sketchbook, then traveled up to Michelangelo, seeing the eagerness and desperation in his eyes.

"All right, Mikey, I'll help." Leonardo agreed, but grabbed Michelangelo's arm as he jumped in excitement. "But, in return, I want you to do a few things for me."

"Sure, anything!"

"One, promise me you will stick with this. Give up, and I will kick your shell, got it?"

Michelangelo nodded, not saying a word as Leonardo continued.

"Two,you will pay back every dollar I give you."

"I will. I promise." Michelangelo smiled.

"And three, don't say a word about this to Raph and Don. I don't need them jumping down my throat about it."

"Got it! Not a word!" Michelangelo then grabbed Leonardo in a tight hug. "Thanks a bunch, bro. I really appreciate it." Michelangelo gathered all of his books and pencils together, then ran up the stairs to his room. Leonardo sunk back into the couch, noticing that the picture he had seem earlier of him and his brothers on a rooftop had fallen from Michelangelo's books and landed at his feet. He leaned over and picked it up, smiling again at the amazing details Michelangelo had put into the drawing. Leonardo had always hoped that Michelangelo would go

somewhere with his talent, and it seemed the opportunity had come, even though Leonardo felt a little guarded by the fact that Michelangelo had chosen their private life as the topic.

Leonardo heard the front door open, then slam shut. He turned his head just in time to see Raphael fling his leather jacket across the top of the coat rack and head for the stairs.

"How was the concert?" Leonardo asked, stopping Raphael as he took a few steps up the stairs. Raphael turned around and Leonardo could see something wasn't right. He motioned with his hand, and Raphael stomped back down the stairs and into the living room, slamming down onto the love seat across from Leonardo. Raphael crossed his arms, letting his temper die down before talking.

"It sucked, and you know why?"

Leonardo said nothing, just shook his head.

"Well, first off, me and Vanessa got into it over Chad. Then, when we got there, she walked away from me and I couldn't find her anywhere. So, instead of watching my favorite band play, I spent most of the night searching the restrooms for her."

Leonardo watched as Raphael let his arms go and lean forward, his eyes going to the floor.

"When I did find her, she was a cryin mess. She screamed at me, even tried to take a swing at me. All I could do was say I was sorry, over and over again." Raphael rubbed his face with his hands. " After she calmed down, the show was over and we headed back to the car. And there, waitin for us in the parking lot, was Chad."

Leonardo shook his head again, watching Raphael's fists ball up.

"And you can probably guess who she went home with."

"I'm sorry, Raph. I really am." Leonardo scooted up to the edge of the couch and leaned closer to Raphael.

"I just don't get it. Vanessa acts so tough and independent around me, but with that loser, she's totally submissive!" Raphael's eyes rose and looked into Leonardo's. "Maybe I should just give up on her."

Leonardo leaned back in shock. " Oh, I don't think so!"

"I don't know what else to do!" Raphael jumped to his feet and started to pace in front of the love seat.

"That doesn't sound like you at all." Leonardo said. " The Raphael I know doesn't give on anything."

"Yeah, well, the Raphael you know has never been in love before." Raphael stopped dead in his tracks after he had heard what had come out of his mouth. The smile on Leonardo's face grew.

"You're in love with her?" Leonardo laughed. "I thought it was just some infatuation! Oh, that's even cuter!"

Raphael stuck out his tongue as he sat back down. "Don't say shit like that, man! Ugh!"

Leonardo stopped laughing and grabbed his brothers' hand. "Listen to me, Raph. If you really feel that way about her, do not give up, and do not let her go." Leonardo then lowered his eyes, thinking back to the day back when he watched Linda walk out of his life. "I learned that lesson the hard way, and I'm finally realizing the mistake I made."

Raphael wrinkled his forehead. "Come again?"

Leonardo looked back up and laughed slightly. "Sorry, I'm just rambling on. Anyway, you can't give up on her. I don't think Leslie would have wanted you too either."

Raphael shrugged. "Yeah, I don't think she would like to see her niece with a jerk like that." Raphael then laughed. "You know it's funny you said that."

"What? About Leslie?"

Raphael grabbed Leonardo's glass of water and gulped it down. " This may sound stupid, but it seems as if Leslie pushed us together, like it was meant to be or somethin."

Leonardo sighed. "You mean fate."

"It sounds crazy, but yeah, that's it." Raphael stood up and stretched. "Well, I gotta get some sleep. Thanks for the talk, bro."

Leonardo smiled up at Raphael, then watched him leave the room and head back up the stairs. After Raphael disappeared from view, Leonardo turned his eyes back to the picture that Michelangelo had drawn, which was still in his hands. He looked at himself in the picture and felt as if he was really there on that rooftop, feeling the weight of his kantana in his hands, and the wind whipping the ends of his blue mask around his shoulders. Leonardo glanced up to the other side of the living room above the large fireplace. There, mounted on the wall, were his swords, along with his brothers weapons, and their colored masks were each tied to the corresponding weapon. Not one of them had touched their weapons since the day the war had ended.

Leonardo turned his eyes back to the picture, but his thoughts then turned to something else. That day, years ago, when he was face to face with the young woman he had cared so deeply for. She had told Leonardo they were meant to be. He told her he had no belief in fate. Then she walked away.

Leonardo always hated to think that fate decided what happened in one's life and he never wanted to believe that your destiny was already determined. But over the years, after hours of therapy, and the sudden news of Linda's return to the city, Leonardo was beginning to think that maybe this time fate was seeking him out, and that he didn't have control over anything anymore.


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

It was Friday, the day that Leonardo had been dreading all week. Tonight was Christina's party, and tonight was the night Leonardo was going to end things between them. He had been running what he was going to say over and over in his head, but he felt it was never going to work. Christina was too used to getting her way, and Leonardo knew it was going to be tough.

Leonardo walked around the training room, watching his students as they practiced in pairs. He stopped when he approached one particular student, who had been excelling above the others. The student's name was Taylor, and he had just recently moved from Australia to New York with his aunt and uncle, and for only being eleven years old, Taylor had made a huge impression on Leonardo, and Leonardo had taken the boy under his wing as his star pupil.

Leonardo watched as Taylor took on an older student, who out matched him in both height and weight, and knocked the other boy down in just seconds. The other kids clapped and cheered for Taylor as he bowed, then helped the older boy to his feet and shooked his hand. Leonardo clapped, then walked over to Taylor.

"Great roundhouse. You've been practicing." Leonardo patted the boy on the shoulder.

Taylor smiled, then shrugged his shoulders. "I could do better."

Leonardo shook his head. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Tay. It was great!" Taylor then ran over to the water cooler, and gulped down several cups of water.

"Aunt Rudy said I could go to your Fourth of July barbeque." Taylor said with his thick Australian accent. "You are still havin it, right?"

Leonardo nodded. "Yes. But how did you know about it? I never said anything."

Taylor smiled. "Mikey told me about it while we were playing basketball." Taylor finished another cup of water, then smashed the cup and shot it into the waste basket across the room.

"Seems like you've been practicing that too!" Leonardo said, then turned back to his students. "All right everyone, gather around me so we can discuss Monday's session."

Around the corner, Vanessa sat behind her computer and stared into the screen. It had three days since she had talk to Raphael, and it was killing her. She knew the fight they had wasn't his fault. Raphael was just watching out for her, like he had done since the first day they had met. Raphael was her best friend, but his rashness and his inability to reason drove Vanessa absolutely crazy. But at the same time, Vanessa loved him for those reasons, and deep down wanted nothing more than to be with him and become more than just friends. Vanessa did love Chad, but her feelings for Raphael were on a different level, and ran much deeper then they ever could with present boyfriend. She never told anyone about how she felt, and she even denied it with herself, for it was the fear of rejection and humiliation that stopped her from revealing her love for Raphael.

As she stared into the desktop on her computer, her ears picked up a ringing noise, and she snapped out of her thoughts. She peered around the computer just as the door shut, and noticed that it had been Raphael that had entered the building. Vanessa watched intently as Raphael removed his sunglasses, then let her eyes wondered down his black leather jacket, down his jeans to his shoes, then back up. Raphael felt her eyes on him and he turned his head, just as Vanessa ducked back behind her computer screen and punched on the keyboard, pretending to be hard at work.

Leonardo walked out of the training room and noticed Raphael standing against the wall.

"Are ya ready?" he asked.

"Almost," Leonardo asked as he walked by his brother and around Vanessa's desk. "Let me get changed really quick."

"Hurry up!" Raphael yelled back as he walked back over the door. He started to push it open, then Vanessa knew she had to make a move.

"Raph! Hey! I didn't see you come in." She walked toward him with a smile on her face.

Raphael said nothing to her at first, then replaced his sunglasses. "Tell Leo I'll be in my car." He pushed the door open, then felt Vanessa pull him back.

"Raph, wait. I need to talk to you." She pulled him back inside with all her might.

Raphael flung his sunglasses off and glared at her. "Oh really? Yeah, I see how it is. Chad ain't around, so now you speak your mind."

Vanessa felt her own bad temper rising, but took a deep breath and calmed down. "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened. I'm sorry I ruined your night."

Raphael eased up a little and Vanessa let go of his jacket as his body relaxed. He rubbed his forehead with his fingers, then looked back at Vanessa. He smiled slightly, then spoke.

"I'm sorry too. I just don't when to shut my mouth. I didn't mean to make you upset." Then he laughed a little. "It was more my fault than yours."

Vanessa gave Raphael a warm smile. "Are we okay now?"

Raphael shook his head. "No, and before ya say somethin, you gotta let me finish. Then you can yell or whatever. Okay?"

"Okay," Vanessa clasped her hands together. "Go ahead."

" You need to start standin up to Chad. I'm tired of him controllin and walkin all over you. I know you're stronger than you show him, and I think that you should, well-" Raphael crossed his arms over his chest. " You need to be more of a bitch to him."

Vanessa's eyes grew. "Nice choice of words." She then giggled at Raphael, who started to throw her a dirty look. "But you are right. I have let Chad run my life. I never wanted to believe it, and when he came to the city to pick me up from that concert, it was the last straw for me. We stayed up all night talking about it, and I told him I was going to leave him if he didn't let up on how controlling he was."

Raphael sighed, finding it difficult to believe Vanessa's story. "And?"

"He's gotten better, Raph."

Raphael laughed. "Has Hell frozen over? Cause it's freakin cold in here!"

"Raph, I'm serious," Vanessa looked into Raphael's eyes. "He shows me so much more respect now. He has completely changed."

"Now, how long is it gonna last?" Raphael asked, making Vanessa growl in anger.

"Just stop, please? Can we just please get past this?" She gave Raphael a playful punch in the arm. "I miss having you around."

Raphael let his arms drop down. "That's touchin, but yeah, we're good." Vanessa smiled and squealed, grabbing Raphael in an unexpected hug. Raphael stood still for a moment then unwilling let himself melt into her embrace. He closed his eyes and inhaled the citrus scent of Vanessa's shampoo, then exhaled slowly. Vanessa sighed as she enjoyed the feeling of Raphael strong arms around her.

"Uh, should I come back another time?"

They both broke out of their trances and pulled away from each other. They stared blankly at Leonardo, not really knowing what to say to explain about their extra long hug.

Raphael cleared his throat then shoved his sunglasses back onto his face. " Are you finally ready or what?"

"Yes, I am." Leonardo then turned to Vanessa. " I'm going to lunch. I'll be back in an hour."

"Okay." She turned to walk back to her desk when she felt Raphael's hand around her arm.

"Can she come too?" Raphael asked Leonardo as he lowered his glasses and pleaded to his brother with his eyes.

"Sure, why not?" Leonardo grabbed his coat from the rack.

"But, if I go with you guys, who's going to watch the dojo?" Vanessa said as she moved back over to the turtles.

"Jerry and Steve are here. They'll take care of things." He then grabbed Vanessa's coat and shoved her out the door.

Angie chewed on the end of her pinkie fingernail as she read the words in her book. She was so enthralled with the tortured soul of her vampire idol that didn't even hear the chimes ring on the door, nor did she see the mutant turtle that had approached the counter.

"Oh, Lestat," Angie thought out loud. "If only I could save you and show you how beautiful life really is."

"I'm sure he'd be very grateful."

Angie jumped and slammed the book down as Donatello's voice brought her back to the real world. She blinked a few times, then shook her head.

"I didn't even hear you come in." She laughed nervously as she pushed her brown hair behind her ears. "Uh, Linda's not here today."

Donatello smiled. "Who said I was looking for her?" He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box. " I actually came here to give you this."

Angie hesitated as she reached for the box. "You- you bought me something?"

Donatello pushed his hand closer to her without speaking, then watched intently as she lifted the top of the box. Angie's eyes grew as she pulled out a long silver chain that held various colored stones on either end.

"It's a bookmark." Donatello said. "I noticed you didn't have one the last time I came in. I figured you could use it."

"It's beautiful," She gasped. "I've never seen a bookmark like that before in my life." She opened her book back up and placed it in between the pages, even though she wasn't sure if it was where she had stopped.

"There's a small tourist shop on the beach down the road from my house that sell them." Donatello shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling suddenly shy.

Angie smiled. " Thank you. That was really sweet of you." Donatello smiled back at her, not really sure what to say next. He figured Angie didn't either after a few minutes of silence.

" Are you not working today?" Angie spoke up.

"I just finished my last class about a half an hour ago." Donatello said he studied the scratches that ran across the counter.

Angie then glanced up at the clock. "Well, my shift ends in about five minutes. Do you want to walk me home?"

Donatello looked up with another smile on his face. "Sure. It would be my pleasure."

Later on the evening, the Turtles had all gathered into the living room. Leonardo was laying down on the couch while Donatello and Michelangelo sat on the floor. Raphael occupied one of the oversized chairs that sat near the large bay windows that over looked the beach..

"Man, Mtv has gotten crappy the past few years." Raphael grumbled.

Donatello agreed. " They hardly ever play music videos anymore. It's always Spring Break Beach Party or something dumb like that now."

Leonardo pushed himself up to a sitting position. "Wasn't Mtv the first thing we picked up on that broken television we found in the sewers?"

"Yeah I remember that," Raphael laughed. "Splinter wouldn't let us watch it cause of all those rap videos."

Michelangelo then reached for the remote and turned up the volume. "Sheesh, you guys! I'm trying to watch something!"

Donatello then reached for the remote. "Mikey! Raph and I want to watch wrestling. Hand it over!"

"Nope!" Michelangelo lifted the remote in the air as Donatello jumped for it. "I'm waiting for Mandy's video to come on!"

Raphael shook his head. "Damn, Mikey. Why don' t you grow up and listen to some real music, not that fabricated teen pop shit!"

Michelangelo's mouth dropped. "Fabricated? Excuse me, but Mandy writes her own songs, thank you very much!" He turned back to the television, then lowered his voice and looked at Donatello. "At least her music doesn't make me want to bash my head into a brick wall."

"I heard that!" Raphael grumbled as he threw a pillow at his brother. Leonardo rolled his eyes, wondering why he never went and got his own place when they moved out of the sewers.

"What time are we leavin anyway, Leo?" Raphael asked after Donatello returned the pillow back to him.

Leonardo yawned, then glanced up at the clock. "Um, around seven I guess."

"Do we really have to go?" Donatello asked.

Leonardo sighed and sunk back down into the couch. "Yes. I already told Christina all of us were showing up." Leonardo closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

_Leonardo opened his eyes and looked around. He recognized the area around him as Times Square, but it was more like a pile of rubble than the busy center of New York he knew. The sky held a red overcast and was fulled with smoke from the fires that burned along the torn streets. He then looked down at himself and noticed he was dressed in a Mutant Militia camouflage uniform, and his swords were in his hands. He then realized his was back in the middle of the war._

_"How did I get here? This happened years ago!"_

_His thoughts rang out of his head and echoed against the demolished buildings._ _He began to take a step, but felt as if his feet were made of lead. He strained to lift his foot, then proceeded to lift the other one. Soon, his pace quickened and he began to run, even though he had no idea where he was going._

_His feet became like lead again as he stopped at the edge of the river. Across the water, a warehouse_ _sat on an island, and Leonardo gasped as his eyes traveled up from the bottom of the warehouse to the top, which was so high up it disappeared from his sight. _

_"What is going on here? Things were never like this."_

_Suddenly, Leonardo felt a rumble under his feet, as if an earthquake were about to hit. The movement grew stronger and more violent, until it was strong enough to knock Leonardo to the ground._ _Then the ground began to crack, and he pushed himself backwards away from the crater that was erupting under him. He once again felt his body become paralyzed and a sense of fear and dread began to eat away at him._

_The ground stopped shaking, and the dust cleared away, leaving Leonardo alone with a giant hole in the ground. A sudden ominous laughter rang from the crater and Leonardo gasped as the Shredder began to rise from the ground. He levitated in midair for a few seconds, then dropped down, shaking the earth when he landed. Leonardo then noticed his size. Shredder was at least twenty feet tall, and the smell of decaying flesh carried off his body and into the air, causing Leonardo to feel nauseated, and he gasped for air. Shredders' evil laughter ripped through Leonardo's head, making him feel like his brain was being pulled in different directions. __"No, this can't be happening. He's dead! I watched him die!"_

_Shredder heard Leonardo's thoughts and his laughter began again, then suddenly stopped. Leonardo watched as the Shredder began to shrink down until he was Leonardo's height, but the metal and decaying flesh disappeared, leaving behind a young woman with long black hair, dressed in a Foot Clan uniform, and holding a sword with an engraved dragon on the handle._

_Please, don't hate me. I love you._

_Leonardo grabbed his head as the words he had heard many times before drilled into his brain._

_"Get away! Get AWAY FROM ME!"_

_Leonardo then looked up just in time to see the woman running toward him with her sword raise in the air..._

"AAHHHHHHHH!"

Leonardo sat upright on the couch, and felt beads of sweat drip down his face. He panted heavily, hearing the beat of his own heart echoing through his head.

"Leo?" Raphael grabbed his brother's shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. "Leo, it's okay, bro. Calm down."

Leonardo squeezed his eyes together, trying to bring them into focus. He looked around, not feeling sure if he was in his own house. He then looked down and saw Raphael in front of him.

"It's okay, Leo." Raphael said again. " You're home, with us. Everything's okay."

"What-I-" Leonardo tried to speak, still feeling like he was in a dream state.

"I thought he wasn't having those nightmares anymore." Michelangelo said nervously, as he peered from around Donatello. Leonardo turned his head toward Michelangelo, and saw the tears that had started to well up in his brothers' eyes. He finally felt his heart beat return to normal and he took a deep breath.

"I'm all right now, Mikey." Leonardo offered a small smile.

"Ya sure?" Raphael dropped his hands and sat back.

Leonardo nodded. "I'm sure." He swung his legs around, remaining seated from a few minutes. He rubbed his face with his hands, then looked up at the clock. "We need to start getting ready." As he stood, Donatello stopped him.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, I swear!" Leonardo said, becoming a little agitated. He pushed past Donatello, walked out of the living room and headed up the stairs. The three remaining turtles stood silently for a moment, not knowing exactly what to do.

"Should we stop him?" Donatello asked Raphael.

Raphael shook his head. "Just let him go. You know how he gets after he has those dreams. He acts like it was nothin'!" He then headed for the doorway, punching the wall in frustration as he exited the living room. Michelangelo then broke the silence.

"Finally!" He said as he pointed toward the big screen television. "See, I told you Mandy's video would make to number one this week!"

Donatello sighed as he rolled his eyes, then pushed Michelangelo down onto the couch.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"213...214...Here we go! 215."

Leonardo stopped in front of the door and turned around to face his brothers, checking their attire for the final time. Raphael was dressed in a black turtleneck with a khaki colored jacket and pant set, and black dress shoes. Donatello had on a black pin striped suit over a light-blue collar shirt, complete with a black and light blue tie. Michelangelo wore a dull yellow sweater vest over a collared gray shirt, finished with a matching brown jacket and pant set. Leonardo shook his head then began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Raphael asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"I have never seen all of you this dressed up before." Leonardo continued to laugh. " My clothes look great on you guys."

Michelangelo scratched at the tweed brown pants he wore. "These pants are itchy!"

"I can't breathe in this thing!" Raphael stuck a finger into between the turtleneck collar and his throat, then pulled on the fabric.

"I don't know why you guys are complaining." Donatello said as he picked a piece of thread of his sleeve.

Raphael threw Donatello a dirty look. "You're used to it, professor. We ain't."

Leonardo let his laughter die down. "I'm sorry, guys, but it's a formal party, which reminds me. I have a couple of rules I want to lay down."

"Like what?" Raphael asked as he yanked on the neck of the sweater again.

"There are going to be a lot of socialites here, so I want you guys to behave, which means no cussing, Raph."

"Well, damn it all to fuckin hell," Raphael joked.

"Raph!" Leonardo yelled.

"I'm just gettin it out of my system."

Leonardo shook his head, then pointed at Michelangelo. "And no stupid jokes and/or pranks."

Michelangelo felt confused then looked at Raphael. " Do rich people not laugh?"

Leonardo took a moment and adjusted his grey sweater. "Ready, guys?"

"What a minute!" Raphael said. "What about Donnie?"

Donatello smiled and pulled on the lapels on the jacket. "Unlike you cretins, I know how to act around people of this stature."

"What? What's a cretin?" Michelangelo asked Raphael, feeling completely lost again. He then looked back at Donatello. "Stop using big words around me. My brain can't take it!" Raphael and Donatello then bursted into fits of laughter.

"Shush!" Leonardo held up his hand, then closed his fist and knocked on the door. A round of giggles erupted from his brothers, causing Leonardo to turn around and give them an evil look.

"Leo! You're here!" Christina's voice rang out into the hallway, causing Leonardo to turn back towards the door while the other three muffled their laughter.

"Christina! Hi!" Leonardo said through a forced smile, then moved to let his brothers go by him first. "I brought people."

"Great to see you guys again!" Christina hugged each one of the Turtles, after which Raphael made a face of disgust at Leonardo. Leonardo pushed him into the apartment, then allowed Christina to take his hand.

"Leo, you never said anything about my dress." Christina pouted as she led Leonardo through the door. Leonardo stopped himself from rolling his eyes and glanced down, taking note on the long, black dress with thin straps that clung to Christina's body like it had been painted on. Leonardo gulped loudly and then copied what Raphael had done by pulling at the neck of his sweater.

"It's uh, nice." He said as he gasped for air. Christina smiled wickedly, eating up Leonardo's reaction to the skimpy dress. She then lead Leonardo down the entrance hallway and into the large livingroom. Leonardo looked around, taking in the surrounding above the crowd of people.

The walls of the apartment were a deep cream color, as was the carpeting. The floor leveled down to a sitting area, where a bright white sectional couch sat in front of a large fireplace, which had mahogany paneling along the mantel and down the sides. Above the fireplace was a huge mirror, which from the carvings in the wood frame, Leonardo guessed was an antique. The dining area, which contained a small black table and four chairs, sat in the back near the glass patios doors that opened up to a long, wide balcony. On either side on the patio doors were hallways, one that was near the dugout sitting area that lead to the bedrooms and bathroom, the other lead into the kitchen. Light jazz music flowed from the stereo beside of him. Then Leonardo caught the scent of hibiscus, and then realized the apartment was covered in potted hibiscus flowers. He had grown to hate them, and smelling them only brought back memories.

"I didn't know you liked those." Leonardo said to Christina as he pointed to a nearby large ceramic pot on the floor.

Christina wrinkled her nose. "Oh, dear God, no! I hate plants! I always kill them. My cousin put all of those in here." She then edged closer to Leonardo and entwined her fingers into his. "I smell much better, don't you think?"

Leonardo faked another smile, then walked ahead of Christina, dragging her behind him, and searched the apartment for his brothers. He spotted Raphael and Michelangelo near the dining table, filling their plates full of finger food. Donatello had found a few fellow teachers and was busy talking about the University. Leonardo then let out his breath and relaxed, knowing for the moment that his siblings weren't embarrassing him. Christina then jumped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You know, since your brothers are occupied at the moment, maybe you and I can sneak away somewhere more-" she slowly ran her finger down the front of Leonardo's sweater.

"- seclusive."

Leonardo began to laugh nervously as he tried to move away from Christina's lips. "Uh, why don't you introduce me to some of your friends first?"

Christina smiled then pulled away. "Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude of me, wasn't it. Okay, come on. " She grabbed his hand and led him through the crowd.

Linda sighed deeply, staring into the bumps of her bedroom ceiling, and listened intently to the talking and mindless laughter of her cousin's guests. She had told her cousin that she was going to stay out of the way, and Linda was defiantly sticking to her word. But the rumbling in her abdomen was not letting up, and she realized sooner or later she was going to have to eat. Linda growled loudly and slammed her fist into her bed, then jumped to her feet and cracked open the bedroom door. She peeked around the wall, wondering if anyone would notice her if she walked really fast to the kitchen. She took a deep breath then headed through the crowd with her head down. She was near the kitchen when she suddenly slammed into someone.

"Hey! What's the big friggin' idea?"

Linda recognized the gruff New York accent right away and her head bolted upright. "Raphael?"

Raphael stared back at her, as if he was trying to remember who she was. "Linda?"

Then she heard another familiar voice ring out from behind Raphael. "Linda? Where?" Michelangelo's head peered over Raphael's shoulder, then a huge smile covered his face.

"Linda!" He pushed Raphael out of his way and grabbed Linda in a bear hug, lifting her feet up off of the carpeting. Her eyes were still wide with shock as Michelangelo put her back down.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked as she straighten out her white tee shirt.

"I was wonderin the same thing myself." Raphael looked down at her bare feet and gray yoga pants that completed her outfit. "You defiantly ain't here for no party."

"No, I'm not. I was just on my way to the kitchen-"

"Move! Move! Go that way! Hurry Up!" Donatello shoved the three of them into the kitchen before they even realized he had come up behind them.

Linda crossed her arms and frowned. "Donatello! What on earth is going on here? Why are you guys in my apartment?"

Raphael eyes grew big as he suddenly discovered the connection, while Michelangelo opened his mouth without thinking.

"Well, Leo got invited by this girl he's been seeing to this party-" Raphael slammed his hands over his brothers' mouth before Michelangelo could finish.

"What?" Linda let her arms drop as she started to look around the crowd.

"Linda, wait," Dontello pulled her back away from the doorway.

She looked back at Donatello, then took a deep breath. "So, the guy my cousin has been seeing for the past month was-Leonardo, and now he is here. Right now, in the next room."

Donatello lowered his head down. "I was hoping I would find you. I figured everything out when I walked over to the mantle and noticed your father's sword was mounted on it."

Linda buried her face in her hands, sighed deeply then pushed her hands over her pony-tailed hair, feeling her long bangs brush her cheeks. She glanced among the three turtles, not really sure what to say to them.

"Oh, man!" Michelangelo then exclaimed, finally putting the pieces together. "Your cousin is Leos' girlfriend!"

" Dammit, Mikey! Shut up!" Raphael swung his hand at his brother. "Have some friggin compassion, you moron!"

Linda held up her hands. "It's okay, Raphael. I would have to face all of this sooner or later." She glanced back into the living room. "I'm just going to go back into my bedroom now." She turned back toward Raphael and Michelangelo, wearing a small smile on her face. " It was nice to see you two again."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Michelangelo offered. " You know, if you want to talk?"

Linda smiled again. "I don't know if I'll talk much, but yeah, you can come with me."

She then left the kitchen, stopping by the table and grabbing a plate of food, then waited for Michelangelo to catch up with her. Then they continued down into the hallway, and Linda never took a glance back.

"And these are some old friends of my parents," Christina said. " Harry and Denise Richardson. They own most of the Hamptons area and rent out the beach houses and condos."

Leonardo felt as if his teeth were going to break from holding his fake smile for so long. He didn't really know what was worse: Meeting tons of boring rich people, or the fact that Christina kept whispering dirty comments into his ear. He shuddered as her long fingernails ran across the back of his thigh as she talked to the old couple in front of them. His eyes wondered around the apartment, once again looking for his brothers. He found Raphael and Donatello coming out of the kitchen and decided to make a break for freedom.

"Could you excuse me?" He asked and bowed his head to the couple in front of him and pulled free of Christina's grasp. Before she could protest, he pushed his way through the crowd and eased up to his brothers.

" We have to get out of here!" Leonardo exclaimed in a whisper as he appeared behind Donatello. " I think Christina is trying to get something going on tonight and I really don't want to be a part of it!"

Raphael looked back at Christina, noticing the tight black dress that covered her thin frame. " If you don't want it, I'll take it."

Donatello felt suddenly disgusted and narrowed his eyes. " Control yourself for once, Raph!"

" Come on. I'll just tell her we have an emergency." Leonardo said, feeling a bit jumpy.

"Like what?" Donatello asked.

"How about food poisonin'?" Raphael suggested, lifting his plate. "What the hell is this black shit, anyway?"

"It's caviar." Donatello blankly stated.

"What? You mean fish eggs? Sick!" Raphael gagged and went back into the kitchen. Leonardo and Donatello heard the roar of the garbage disposal as Raphael dumped his food into the sink. Leonardo then noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Mikey at?"

Donatello's eyes grew, then he smeared a smile onto his face. " He's here. He's around."

Leonardo stared into Donatello's eyes, as he had done many times before. " Donnie?'

" Stop that!" Donatello shielded his eyes. " I hate it when you pull that ninja mind crap on me!"

"Well, then tell me where Mikey is so we can leave!" Just then, Christina came up behind Leonardo and covered his eyes with her hands. The smell of her perfume rose into Leonardo's nose and his stomach violently turned in circles.

"Guess who?"

Leonardo was about to answer when his stomach turned again. He pushed Christina back and absentmindedly headed down the opposite hallway towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

"What's wrong?" Christina asked Donatello. "Is he okay?"

Donatello laughed slightly as he peered down into the hallway. "Food poisoning, I believe."

Once in the sanctity of the bathroom, Leonardo had lifted the toilet lid and emptied his stomach. He reached for the handle and pulled it, waiting for the flushing noise before falling backwards and sinking down onto the floor beside of the bathtub. He covered his face with his hands and held them there for a long time, not sure if he wanted to back out and face everyone who had seen him dash through the apartment. After what seemed like forever to him, Leonardo regained his strength and opened the door, just as Michelangelo walked out of the room across from him.

"Leo!" Michelangelo exclaimed, slamming the door shut behind him.

"There you are." Leonardo looked around his brother to the closed door behind him. "What were you doing in there?"

Michelangelo moved back into the door. " Nothing. Nothing at all. Were you looking for me? Are we leaving now?"

Leonardo stared at Michelangelo, making his brother feel uneasy, which Leonardo sensed right away. He grabbed Michelangelo's shoulder and pushed him out of the way, and then reached for the door handle.

"No, Leo! Don't!"

But Michelangelo's words fell on deaf ears. Leonardo flung the door open, and his eyes immediately recognized the red cherry four post bed and its matching dresser, desk and bookcase. The oriental rug and Japanese artwork that adorned the walls were also very familiar to him. His eyes then moved to the figure who sat crossed-legged in the middle of the bed.

"Michelangelo?" The figure called out. " That was fast! I hope you brought me something edible besides this-"

Linda stopped talking as she turned around, her eyes meeting with Leonardo's. She tried to find her voice but Leonardo beat her to it. He looked over at Michelangelo and glared at his brother.

" Well, it's nice to know that my own family is keeping secrets from me now!" He glared back at Linda before disappearing from sight. Michelangelo stood still as he watched Leonardo walk away, then moved back into the bedroom. He watched as tears gathered in Linda's eyes, knowing that his brothers' comment had hurt her deeply. She collapsed into the white comforter and sobbed violently. Michelangelo sat down next to her and rubbed her back.

" I'm sorry. I tried to stop him."

Linda looked up and Michelangelo through her tears. " I know. It's okay." Michelangelo grabbed Linda up into a sitting position and held her tightly, wishing he had done something differently. His own eyes fulled up with tears as Linda sobbed on him. Linda pulled back when she heard him sniff.

" Oh, Michelangelo. Don't cry." She gently wiped at his cheeks with her already wet hands. "I didn't mean to get you upset."

"It's not you. It's Leo." Michelangelo let go of Linda and wiped at his face. " It's just that ever since the war ended, and you left, I always hoped that you would come back and you guys would be together again, like it was before." Michelangelo took the tissue Linda offered him from the box on her night stand and blew his nose. "Leo has just been so different, and he acts like nothing ever happened. He acts like you never existed."

Linda felt another sting in her heart at the words Michelangelo said, then began to speak.

" I understand how Leonardo feels. I did the same thing when I left for Japan. I wanted to run away from everything and forget what I had just been through." She shook her head and held herself, feeling a chill run up her spine. " But forgetting what happens in your past doesn't make you a stronger person. Realizing what you have done, then learning from it, that is how you grow."

Michelangelo noticed Linda's body shake and went to her closet, grabbing a gray sweatshirt off of a hanger.. He handed to her then sat back down. " Leonardo didn't want to face what happened between you guys. All he could think about was you joining Shredder." He looked into Linda's eyes. " He has nightmares about you."

"Nightmares?" Linda asked, feeling very concerned.

" He dreams about you and Shredder being like, one in the same person. And he dreams about you attacking him."

"Oh, god," Linda felt the tears coming back. She then put on the sweatshirt and lifted her body off of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Michelangelo asked, trying to grab Linda's arm as she moved past him.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Linda said as she turned the door handle, and exited the room before Michelangelo could stop her.

Leonardo stood out on the balcony and leaned against the railing, dangling his fourth glass of liquor in his hand. He took big gulps, hoping he could get drunk fast so he could forget what had just happened. He winced as he poured the last of the liquid down his throat, feeling the burn of the alcohol singeing his esophagus. He turned to go back in and get another glass when he saw Linda stepping into a pair of black sandals and open the patio door. Leonardo swung back around, listening to the shuffle of her shoes as she took the seat on the chair a few feet away from him. Then came what Leonardo feared worse than anything: a long, and loud, uncomfortable silence. The only noise he could concentrate on was the traffic below them.

Linda figured that Leonardo wouldn't talk to her, so she gathered up the courage to go first, only she didn't know where to start. She then noticed the glass in his hand.

"When did you start drinking?" She asked, suddenly feeling really upset at him.

Leonardo glanced over at Linda, then turned his head back towards the night sky. " You cut your hair."

Linda looked down at the ground, wondering what made Leonardo say something so strange. She looked back up at him. " Are you drunk?"

He turned back around, leaning on his arm that rested on the railing and placed his closed fist on his hip. " And what if I was? Are you going to sign me up for AA?"

Linda face twisted in disgust. " Would you stop being so defensive! I only came out here to talk to you and-"

"Well, did you think that maybe I didn't want to talk to you!" Leonardo stood straight up, slinging the glass around in the air. " Or did you happen to think that maybe I had gotten over everything? That everything was okay, and that maybe we could get back together, and live happily ever after? Is that what you thought!"

Linda sat stunned, feeling as if the mutant turtle that stood before her was a complete stranger.

"What happened to you?" Linda asked in a small voice, feeling her heart break even more than it already had. "You're so different. I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

Leonardo glared at her, then slammed the glass down against the concrete. Linda jumped back as the glass flew around her feet.

"What happened to me! What happened!" Leonardo yelled as he stepped closer to Linda. " Don't you remember! Don't you remember how you betrayed your father? How you betrayed my brothers? Don't you remember how you betrayed ME!"

Linda fell backwards into the chair as Leonardo leaned towards her, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. " Leonardo, please."

"How could you even live with yourself after what you did?" He asked, his brown eyes burning with fury as he stared Linda down. He noticed her body was trembling in fear and tears were building up in her eyes.

" Have you ever felt as if someone reached into your chest, grabbed your heart and squeezed it so hard that it exploded?" Leonardo raised a closed fist up to Linda's face. " Until you know what that feels like, I have nothing to say to you."

He stood back up and walked back towards the patio doors, slamming them so hard Linda thought the glass was going to break. She sat perfectly still, still hearing Leonardo's words ring through her head. Before she could even find the strength to move, the patio door opened again. Linda turned her head to see Donatello, Raphael, and a visible shaken Michelangelo come out onto the balcony and gather around her.

"We heard everythin that Leo said." Raphael knelt down and grabbed Linda's hand. Donatello sat down next to Linda on the chair and placed his arm around her shoulders. Michelangelo remained standing, looking down at the broken glass he had seen Leonardo throw.

"We're really sorry about him, Linda." Raphael continued. " And we just wanted ya to know that we're here for ya, no matter what that asshole says."

Linda placed her hand on Raphael's, feeling a bit strange that it was Raphael comforting her this time around. " Thank you."

Then Linda collapsed into Raphael's arms as the tears poured down her face.


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

The following morning, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo sat together at the dining room table and shared a quiet breakfast, each lost in his own thoughts about the events of last night. The only noise that was heard was the rustling of the newspaper that Donatello pretended to have interest in. Michelangelo, who wanted to talk about last night more than anything, shifted his eyes back and forth between his brothers, hoping that maybe one of them would notice and break the silence. Raphael rested his head on his left hand and used his right hand to swirl around the marshmallows of his cereal with his spoon. From time to time, Michelangelo could see the anger rising in Raphael's eyes, but it would then disappear just as fast.

The sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway broke them all out of thought, and the three of them turned their heads toward the front door. Michelangelo looked back at Raphael, seeing that the fury had come back and watched as his brother tighten his fists. Leonardo had finally come home, and they were more than ready to welcome him.

As the front door opened, Donatello and Michelangelo turned back to the table, not wanting to let Leonardo see them staring in his direction. Raphael on the other hand was safe behind the wall that blocked the view into the foyer, and he flexed his fingers. His brothers heard the loud popping noise that came from his knuckles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Donatello watched Leonardo remove his shoes and hang his coat up on the rack in the foyer. He then noted that Leonardo wasn't in his gray sweater and black slacks he had wore last night, but instead in a tee shirt and a pair of knee length jean shorts. He turned his eyes back to the paper as Leonardo entered the dining room and walked into the kitchen without saying a word to any of them. Donatello looked up at Raphael, seeing the look of disgust on his face while Leonardo whistled happily as he opened the refrigerator.

_How can he so happy after what he did last night? _Donatello thought. _Does he even remember what he did? _

Leonardo then took a seat a few chairs down from Michelangelo and placed a glass of tomato juice in front of him. He looked over at the paper that sat in between Donatello and Michelangelo.

"Hey, Mikey, could you hand me the sports section?"

Michelangelo raised his eyes to Raphael and Donatello, then nervously reached for the section Leonardo had asked for. "Uh, sure." He slid the paper down the table and it landed within Leonardo's reach. But as Leonardo went to pick it up, Raphael's hand came down on top it, slamming the table so hard Donatello's coffee went all over the rest of the newspaper. Leonardo lifted his eyes to meet Raphael.

"Yes?" Leonardo asked, his voice growled through his gritted teeth.

"Well, are you goin to tell us where you went to last night after leavin us stranded with no way home!"

Leonardo shoved Raphael's hand off of the paper without giving Raphael an answer, which made Raphael anger grow more.

"Do you even remember last night? I'm sure those four glasses of whiskey didn't help ya any."

Leonardo's only response was a shoulder shrug. Raphael tightened his fists and gritted his teeth, then tried again to make his brother upset.

"So what was it like drivin' around drunk off your ass? Did ya get pulled over for a DUI and spend the night in jail?"

Leonardo slammed the paper down on the table, scaring Raphael and Donatello, and caused Michelangelo to duck under the table.

"Like you have the room to talk about that, Raph!" He then looked at all three of his brothers. " And since guys are so fucking nosey this morning, no, I did not spend the night in jail! I went to the dojo and spent all night taking my anger out on the practice dummies!" Leonardo glared at Raphael, then picked up his glass of juice and started for the stairs.

"She didn't mean to make you mad."

Leonardo stopped when he heard Michelangelo's voice. He turned to see his youngest brother slowly stand back up as his hands shook in fear.

"What?" Leonardo stormed back over to the table. Michelangelo leaned back away from Leonardo, then spoke again.

"She just wanted to talk. You didn't have to get mad at her like that."

Leonardo glared at Michelangelo. " Well, I didn't want to talk to her, and she found that out really fast."

"Mikey's right, Leo." Donatello said as he stood up. " Your behavior was really uncalled for."

"Oh, I see how it is." Leonardo placed his open hand on his hip. " I'm the bad guy now."

"Nobody said that Leo!" Raphael walked around the table. " Stop actin like a freakin drama queen!"

Then suddenly, Leonardo began to laugh. " Oh, yeah! I forgot! Linda's the victim in all of this!"

"You can ease up on the sarcasm, Leo." Donatello said as he shook his head.

"How could I be so selfish as to think that I wasn't the one who suffered? I guess those nightmares I've been having and the trips to the crazy doctor were for nothing after all!"

"Shut yer freakin mouth, Leo!" Raphael yelled as he grabbed Leonardo's shirt collar. Leonardo's laughter faded as he looked down at Raphael's hand, then calmly set his glass down on the corner of the table.

"You know, Raph, since you haven't been keeping up on your exercises, I suggest you let go of me before I make you." Leonardo's eyes became like daggers and pierced deep into Raphael. Raphael narrowed his eyes, then shoved Leonardo a little as he let his hand drop, knowing that his brother would have him on the ground in mere seconds.

Michelangelo, who had been cowering behind his chair, took a deep breath and stood back up, feeling his own temper flare up. "How can you be so inconsiderate, Leo? She lost both of her parents!" He shoved Raphael out of the way and stood face to face with his oldest brother. " What would you have done? She only wanted to help us! Yeah, so maybe she messed up by not telling us, but so what? Shredder is gone for good cause of her! She saved our lives, Leo! You owe her!"

Leonardo's face flushed with anger. " I don't owe her shit! And I'd tired of discussing this with you idiots! You three have no idea about how I feel, and you never will, so just stay out of my life!"

Leonardo then grabbed his glass and ran up the stairs. Michelangelo stood still for a second after Leonardo had disappeared, then crumbled down to his knees, feeling the fear he had held back return to his body. Raphael knelt down and helped him to his feet.

"I'm proud of you Mikey." Raphael said as he patted his youngest brother on the shell.

Donatello agreed. " I've never seen you stand up to him like that! Good job!"

Michelangelo let out a small laugh. " Thanks, but now I think I have to throw up now." Raphael and Donatello laughed as Michelangelo held onto his stomach and stuck out his tongue.

* * *

Donatello walked down a long hallway and stopped at the apartment which had the numbers 133 on it. He knocked, hitting the door only twice, then waited patiently for a reply.

"Hang on! I'm coming!" Angie's voice called out from inside the apartment. She opened the door, and the smells of sandle wood incense and ammonia hit Donatello's nose, making him take a step back.

"Don, hi! Come on in!" She stepped back, and he entered her apartment, noticing she had

a bottle of hair color in one hand and something that looked like a bent plastic fork in the other. "Sorry about the smell. I was in the middle of streaking my hair. Have a seat and I'll be out in a minute."

Donatello blinked as Angie's words flew of her mouth, then watched as she disappeared faster than she had spoken. He glanced over at the dark green sofa and sat down. He tapped his fingers on his pants, then let his eyes wonder around the apartment, remembering that he didn't get to see the inside of it the day he walked Angie home.

Angie's apartment was much smaller than the one he had been in last night. The living room was a step away from the kitchen. The only thing that separated the two was the barthat was extended out from the wall, and two brown seated stools sat under it. Donatello couldn't see what was down the hallway, but guessed there were at least two bedrooms and defiantly a bathroom. His eyes than wonder up to the wall on his right side. There on the wall was a ceramic circle with the sun in the middle and twelve different symbols around the sun. Donatello stood up to get a closer look at the symbols, then realized they represented the signs of the Zodiac.

"Huh," He muttered to himself. " That's different."

Donatello then looked around at the other walls, and his eyes grew big with surprise when he noticed the other Zodiac wall hangings.

"Obsess much?" Donatello joked, and then laughed as he sat back down. He then saw the rug on the floor that was under the coffee table. It was exactly like the ceramic wall hanging he had just seen. He shook his head, then noticed a brown bookcase next to the small open window. He got back up and walked across the living room, then bent down to see what kind of reading material was in it.

The top shelf was filled from one end to the next with every Anne Rice novel that had been published, which came as no surprise to Donatello. His eyes went down to the next shelf, and he was again shocked by what he found.

" Tarot Reading in Five Minutes? Palmistry? Numerology?" Donatello became more uneasy as he continued. " The Ghostly Register? Dictionary of Superstitions? A Field Guide to Demons!" The last one he read off made him pull back away from the bookcase and shake his head. "What have I gotten myself into?" He walked back over to the couch and plopped down, rubbing at the sudden ache in his head, then he sneezed. An irritation started in his eyes, and he looked around for the source, which he spotted sitting in the dark green chair across the room.

"And she has a cat. Wonderful."

The cat rose it's head and opened its sleepy eyes, letting out a small meow. Donatello rubbed at his eyes, causing them to burn even more, and he felt them begin to water.

"Damn, I left my eye drops in my truck." He dug his hands into his eyes, and prayed his allergy attack would go away on its own.

Angie then appeared, her hair was still wet from the hair dye. "Okay, I'm done. Now I have to wait about twenty minutes before... ." She stopped when she saw Donatello digging into his eyes with his open palms. "Are you okay?"

Donatello looked up toward the direction of her voice. "Yeah. I'm okay. No problem!"

Angie then looked at her black and white cat, then back at Donatello. "You're allergic to Charlie, aren't you?"

"Well, if you are referring to your feline, then yes, I am."

Angie walked over to the chair and picked up her cat. Donatello could hear her talking to it as she went back down the hallway, then he heard the sound of a door shut.

"I'll leave him in my bedroom while you're here." Angie said after returning into the living room. Donatello heard a few shuffling noises before he felt Angie sit down beside of him.

"Here."

Donatello felt around with hand until hit Angie's and quickly took the bottle of drops. He sighed in relief as the drops stopped the burning.

" Nineteen years I lived in a sewer and never had a problem. I move up the surface, and suddenly I'm allergic to every thing that has fur!"

Angie raised her eyebrows. "You lived in the sewers?"

Donatello laughed as his vision returned to normal and he saw the look on Angie's face.

"It's a long story. I'll have to tell you about some time."

" I hope you do!" Angie replied. She then began to study Donatello's face and noticed something wasn't right. "What happened this morning?" She into his eyes as he turned his head to her. " You were in some sort of disagreement with someone? You and your brothers were arguing."

Donatello was stunned. " How did you know that? Are you psychic?" He then laughed at his joke, but his laughter died down when he noticed Angie wasn't laughing with him.

"If that is what you want to call it," Angie shrugged, pulling her bare feet up on the couch and sat Indian style. " I can pick up on how someone is feeling and then I see pictures in my head. Everyone on my mothers' side has some degree of it, some stronger than others. My gift isn't very fine tuned because I choose to ignore it half of the time." She then gave Donatello a smile. "I'll have to tell you about it some time."

Donatello laughed. "Well, it seems as if we have a lot to talk about. What are you doing today?"

Angie pointed to her wet hair. " Besides this, not much." Her hands wondered down to the hemp bracelet than circled around her ankle. " Do you want to take a walk in the park or something?"

"Sounds like a plan." Donatello agreed, then watched as Angie jumped up from the couch and disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Linda rolled over in her bed, then groaned when she saw the clock's red numbers staring right back at her, telling her it was almost noon.

"Did I over sleep or what?" She mumbled to herself as she pushed the covers back with her feet and stretched her legs. Linda then rolled onto her back and gazed sleepily at the ceiling above her. Her eyes were still swollen from all of the tears she had shed, and it made her vision blurry. Then before she could stop herself, Linda began to think about Leonardo and his drunken rage, and it made the tears return.

"No, no, no." Linda pushed her hands into her eyes. "I'm not going to do this to myself." She sighed heavily, doing as best as she could to hold her tears back, then forced her tired body out of the bed.

After getting dressed in a clean white tee shirt and a pair of blue and white track pants, Linda exited her room, pulling her hair back into a small ponytail. The light that poured in from the patio doors burned her eyes and she covered them as she walked by the door.

"Hey, watch out cous!" Christina called out as she walked in from the patio. Linda removed her hands and saw her cousin holding a broom and adust pan.

"Can you believe this?" Christina asked with a hint of anger in her voice. "Someone busted one of my glasses! These things were imported from Austria!" She shook in her in disgust as she headed for the kitchen and dumped the broken shards into the trash can. She replaced the broom and dust pan back, then walked back toward Linda. "The nerve of some people! When I find out who did it, I'll make them buy me a new set! And believe me, those things are not cheap!"

Christina then looked at Linda's face, finally seeing the new set of tears that traveled down her cousin's cheeks.

"Aw, honey!" Christina grabbed Linda in a tight embrace. "It's okay. My dad can always send me some!"

Linda stopped sobbing and gave Christina a look of disgust. " You think I'm crying over your stupid crystal?" She pushed her cousin away and moved to the couch, burying her face into the cushions as she laid down. Christina hesitated for a minute as she listened to Linda sobs grow stronger, then walked over to the couch. She knelt down beside Linda's head and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing for me to say. Those things aren't that important to me!" Christina grabbed Linda and pulled her into a sitting position. " Now, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong?"

Linda took a deep breath as she wiped at her face. Her mind searched for the right words to say, but her mouth had a mind of its own.

"Leonardo."

Christina leaned back in shock. " What?"

"I'm upset because of him!" Linda's voice rose, feeling more tears beginning to flow from her already tired eyes.

"All right, Linda," Christina crossed her arms over her chest. " I've been trying to talk to you about this guy for a month, and you suddenly know his name? What's going on?"

Linda sighed and turned to face her cousin, trying once again to hold back her emotions. " There's something that you should know. Leonardo and I, well, we have a history."

Christina let her arms drop. " A history? You mean you guys were together once?"

"Yes," Linda nodded. " It was a long time ago, and it wasn't for very long."

"What happened?" Christina scooted closer to Linda. "Why did you guys break up?"

Linda lowered her eyes and looked at the checker pattern on the couch, realizing that she didn't want Christina to know the whole story of her and Leonardo's tragic love, so she lied instead.

"It just didn't work out." Linda stated simply, meeting her eyes with Christina.

"Didn't work out?" Christina shook her head. " Oh no! You can't tell me that! You would not be this upset if that was the case."

"That's all. Nothing more!" Linda stood up and walked in a fast pace back into her bedroom. Christina remained on the couch, and thought about how emotional her cousin was. She just couldn't understand why Linda was acting so upset if what she and Leonardo had was just nothing at all. But Christina didn't really care. She had him now, and was all that mattered to her. Christina then shrugged and stood up, moving her mind onto more important things. Just then, a loud knock echoed into the apartment.

"Oh, good! The carpet cleaning guys are here!"

Christina raced over to the door, and before she reached for the handle, she ran her fingers through her hair and straightened out the light pink top she wore. She put on her widest smile, then pulled the door back, but it soon faded when she found Leonardo there in the hallway.

"Hi." He said, as he lifted his eyes to her.

Christina pushed her lips together and frowned at him. "So, now you decide to come back?"

"Yeah, about last night," Leonardo shifted his weight. " I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to run out on your party like that." He then pulled out his right arm that had been hidden behind his back and present Christina with a dozen red roses. " Forgive me?" Leonardo smiled as Christina's eyes grew and her mouth dropped.

"Do I ever!" She then jumped into his arms and kissed him firmly on the lips, then eagerly grabbed the bouquet of flowers from Leonardo's hand and turned around to head for the kitchen. Leonardo stood still, not knowing whether he enjoyed what had just happened or if he was completely disgusted by it. He wiped the taste of Christina's lip gloss off with the back of his hand then walked through the open door. When he approached the living room, Christina had the roses already in a vase and was carrying them toward the couch.

"Hey, I, uh, need to talk to you about something." Leonardo said as Christina passed by him. She gave no response, but Leonardo followed her anyway.

Christina walked around the couch and placed the vase down carefully on the large glass coffee table. She stood back, then leaned over the roses and rearranged them. Leonardo watched as she repeated this process three more times before she clapped her hands together and smiled.

"There we are! Another absolutely perfect floral arrangement! I am just too good!"

" Chris?"

Christina snapped out of her self celebration and stared blankly at Leonardo, who was on the other side of the couch.

"Oh, sorry, Leo." She motioned him over to the couch and patted the spot next to her as Leonardo sat down. "What's up?"

"Well, uh," Leonardo rubbed the top of his head, not really knowing where to start.

" I have a couple things to say. First, there's, uh, something you know about me, and your, uh,"

"I already know." Christina said. "Linda told me about you guys already. Now, I don't have a problem with it, as long as you guys weren't, well, you know."

Leonardo shook his head. " As long as we weren't what?"

"Sexual involved." Christina spoke in a drawn out whisper.

"What!" Leonardo asked, feeling sick to his stomach again.

" I really don't want my cousin's leftovers. You see where I'm coming from right?"

Leonardo placed his hands over his eyes and lowered his head. " Okay, whatever, but no, there was nothing like that between us." He then felt Christina's small hands wrap around his as she pulled them down into her lap.

"That's good to know. Now what was the second thing?"

"No, wait!" Leonardo tried to pull his hands free. "What exactly did Linda tell you?"

"I told her that it was a mutual separation."

Leonardo looked up to see Linda standing behind the couch zipping up the wind jacket that matched her track pants. As their eyes met, a huge wave of tension erupted between them, and Christina could feel it weighing down on her. Leonardo leaned his head to one side and wondered why Linda had not told her cousin the truth about their relationship, even though he had planned on lying himself. He broke off his eye contact with Linda and looked back into Christina's bewildered face. He smiled at her then squeezed her hands tighter.

" Yep, that's all it was." He then freed one hand and placed it on Christina's cheek and caressed it with his thumb. As Christina melted into his touch, Leonardo looked up at Linda. He immediately felt anger boiling up inside of her and saw the hurt that spread over her face, and for a moment, he almost saw tears form in her eyes.

Linda suppressed the urge to scream and instead rolled her eyes as she moved toward the door. " I'm going for a run. I'll see you later, Christina."

Christina sighed as a dreamy smile spread on her face. "Okay."

After Leonardo heard the door slam, he quickly removed his hand from Christina's face and stood up from the couch. Christina woke out of her dream state, then got up and followed Leonardo toward the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" She grabbed the back of Leonardo's tee shirt and spun him around to face her. "We're all alone now." She moved her hands up his chest and then circled them around his neck. Leonardo sighed as he removed her hands.

" I have to go. I'll call later, okay."

Christina felt her heart drop to her feet as she lowered her head. "Okay." But as Leonardo opened the door, she stopped him once again.

"Before you leave, what was that other thing you wanted to tell me?"

Leonardo then realized the whole point of coming back to this apartment was to finally end things with Christina, but after seeing how jealous he had made Linda, he had completely forgotten. An evil smile crept up on his face, then decided that it would be a better idea to keep Christina around a little longer.

Leonardo turned to face Christina, gently grabbed her chin with his hand, then kissed her softly on the lips.

"Don't worry about it. It wasn't that important after all."


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

As the weeks went by, spring turned into summer, and the Turtle household now held an uneasy tension in the air as the brothers reached an unspoken agreement: Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo never spoke of Linda to Leonardo, who they all continued to see on a regular basis, nor did they interfere with his relationship with Christina. Leonardo in turn kept more to himself and lived his life as if nothing was wrong. His relationship with Raphael had crumbled, and they had gone back to fighting rather than talking out their problems, which in turn drew Raphael's repressed aggression back out, and Michelangelo often found himself to be his brothers' target. Donatello stayed out of everyone's way, not wanting to get caught up in the hostile environment of the house, and spent most of his time with Angie. But none of them could see the hurt that was held in the eyes of their father, who would watch silently from a distance the self destruction his sons were bringing upon themselves, and he would pray every day that Leonardo would make peace with himself and bring everyone back together.

* * *

Donatello and Raphael were sitting out on the back porch enjoying the warm air that was blowing off of the ocean when the sliding glass door opened.

"Da dada da DA!" Michelangelo sung out triumphantly as he carried a large cardboard box in his hands and set it down on the porch floor. Leonardo and Taylor followed him, each carrying a similar box. Leonardo sat his down on Michelangelo's, while Taylor strained his muscles to keep his box from falling out of his hands. Leonardo laughed at the boy and helped Taylor place the box neatly on top of the stack. Michelangelo then cleared his throat and threw out his arms.

" Fellow mutant turtles! This is a glorious day for all of us! Behold!" He shoved his open palm toward the stack of boxes. " The future of our legacy is held within these walls of cardboard!"

Raphael wrinkled his forehead. "What the Hell are you talkin about?"

"Leo, if you don't mind," Michelangelo took a step backwards as Leonardo took a box cutter out of his back pocket and carefully opened the top box. He reached in, and handed a flimsy object to his brother. Michelangelo's face exploded into a smile as he proudly held up the comic book he had been working on for the past three years. Raphael and Donatello both stood up to get a closer look of the cover.

"_Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1_" Raphael read out loud as he took the comic from Michelangelo's hand.

"I thought of that myself!" Michelangelo said as his smile grew bigger.

Raphael looked over Michelangelo's artwork on the cover, which was of the four of them wearing their masks and holding their respected weapons as they stood on the rooftop of a building with the Manhattan skyline in the background. He passed the comic to Donatello so he could get a better look. After he was done, Donatello and Raphael looked at each other as smiles crept across their faces.

"Well? What do you guys think?" Michelangelo asked as his excitement was becoming hard to contain. But instead of giving Michelangelo a straight answer, Donatello and Raphael burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter and fell onto each other.

"You're kiddin me right?" Raphael managed out through his laughter. " That's a good one, Mikey."

"Yeah," Donatello held onto his now aching stomach. " It's a few months past April Fools Day but you have defiantly made up for it!"

"Come on, guys." Leonardo sighed as he grabbed the comic back from Donatello. " It's not a joke. You should be happy that Mikey finally did something with himself. He's been working really hard on this."

Raphael slowed down his laughter as he saw the hurt that reflected in Michelangelo's eyes. " You mean ta tell me the whole time you were layin around the house, you workin on a comic book?"

Michelangelo reached into the box and pulled out another copy. " I'm sorry if its not up to your expectations, Raph, but this is something I've had my heart set on for years, and if it wasn't for Leo, I never would have gotten it done."

Donatello stopped his laughter and wiped at the tears that clouded his eyes. "How did you help him, Leo?"

Leonardo shrugged as he handed the comic to Taylor. " I gave him a loan."

"How much of a loan?" Raphael raised an eyebrow at Leonardo. " Publishing shit like this ain't cheap."

" I gave him a thousand."

"What!" Raphael and Donatello yelled in unison.

"Calm down." Leonardo held his hands up in defense. " I took it out of my own savings, not our bank account, and Mikey's paying me back so don't get all bent out of shape about it."

Raphael grumbled under his breath as he grabbed the book out of Michelangelo's hands.

" And just where do you expect to sell these things at?"

" I've already made a deal with the owners of the comic book store I work in, and they said I could sell it there." Michelangelo replied as he felt his excitement return.

"And how much are they getting from it?" Donatello asked as he sat back down on one of the patio chairs. " I'm sure they expect to get some sort of commission from the sales."

"Sales?" Raphael scoffed. " You think people are goin to by this? No offense Mikey but who would wanna read about us?"

"I would!" Taylor looked up from the comic. " I've read it ten times already! It's great! You guys must have had quite a life!"

"See, Raph?" Michelangelo nodded toward Taylor. " We've been in so many adventures! We've got tons of stories to tell! I'm telling you, people are going to eat this up!"

"Well, pass me the Pepto because I think I'm getting indigestion from it." Donatello leaned forward and grabbed his glass of ice tea from the table. Michelangelo looked at him in a confused way, and Donatello continued.

" I mean that these things you are planning to write about are our private lives, which as ninjas, we're not supposed to talk about. We've done a lot of things that would scare people, Mikey, and I don't know if bringing it out into the open like this is going to be good for us."

"Former ninja, Don," Leonardo spoke up in Michelangelo's defense. " And, yes, I do agree that some things we have done in the past won't make us into good roll models, but Mike can also create fictional stories to cover up the things we don't anyone to know. He's already got it under control."

Raphael blew out the breath he had been holding. " So, is it any good?"

Michelangelo smiled as he walked around the table and pulled Raphael to the wicker couch. Taylor crawled up beside of them and read along as Michelangelo showed Raphael his masterpiece. Donatello leaned back into the chair and Leonardo moved to the chair beside of him.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" Leonardo asked.

"Yep. Raph and I went to the store and bought the charcoal, the hamburger meat and the steaks. April and Casey are bringing some side dishes, as is Vanessa. I invited Angie to come over too, if that's okay."

Leonardo nodded as a yawn escaped from his mouth and he stretched his arms up in the air, bringing them back down around his head. He blinked his eyes a few times, and tried to push back the feeling of falling asleep. Then he got a sudden feeling from Donatello, as if there was something else his brother wanted to say. Leonardo turned his head toward him and stared.

" Who else is coming?" he asked, shocking his brother who was in quiet thought.

Donatello turned his eyes to Leonardo. " Would you stop doing that? Good grief!"

"Donnie?" Leonardo pressed on, knowing that Donatello was holding back.

Donatello sighed heavily and shifted his body around. " Alright! Mikey invited you- know-who, okay? There I said it! Now turn off your Jedi mind control!"

Leonardo mouthed a silent 'thank you' and turned his eyes back to the ocean. Donatello continued to look at Leonardo, wondering why his brother didn't even get the least bit upset at the fact that Linda was coming to their house.

"Doesn't that bother you, Leo?"

Leonardo kept his eyes on the rising ocean waves. " Why should it? She's Mikey's guest. If he wants her to come, its fine with me."

Donatello turned back around, feeling a little out of sorts with the energy that Leonardo was putting out. He once again looked at Leonardo, noticing the smug smile on his face, then stood up, grabbed his glass from the table and walked back into the house.

Donatello walked into the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel from the rack that hung on the cabinet beside of the sink. As he wiped the condensation from his glass of tea, Donatello started to think about Leonardo, and how strange he had been behaving the past few months. The sound of a ringing phone snapped Donatello out of his thoughts and he followed the sound into the living room. He picked up the white cordless phone and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Donnie? Hey! How are you doing?"_

" Fine, April."

A pause then came over the phone. _" You don't sound fine, Don. What's wrong?"_

Donatello sighed, knowing that telling his old friend nothing would not be acceptable with her. " It's a long story, April."

_"Go ahead. I have all of the time in the world."

* * *

_

"Linda, are you home, hon?"

Linda and Angie turned their heads toward the front door of the apartment as Christina came shuffling in, her arms weighed down in various shopping bags.

"I thought you were going out to buy a swimsuit for tomorrow?" Linda asked, raising an eyebrow as her cousin dropped the bags down on the opposite side of the couch.

"I did." Christina said as she sighed heavily, then fell into the couch as she caught her breath.

"Then what is all of that?" Angie pointed, counting at least ten bags.

Christina looked over at her parcels. " Macy's was having a sale. Can't pass something like that up!" She then turned her head back to Linda. " You should have come with me. I found this great two piece that would have looked awesome on you!"

Linda shook her head. " I have a suit, thank you."

Christina leaned over one of the bags, then pulled out a red and black bikini top with a matching pair of boy shorts, then threw it to Linda. " Well, I already bought it for you, so you better wear it!" As she collapsed back into the couch, Christina finally noticed the girl sitting next to Linda.

"Wait, don't tell me!" Christina tapped her chin with her finger. " It's Angie, right?"

Angie exchanged a glance with Linda, then nodded.

"Yeah, I remember you! You read my palm the last time you were here." Christina then opened up her left hand. " I still don't get how you can do that, but it's not like it's real or anything."

Angie's mouth dropped, and she began to object when Linda grabbed her shoulder and shook her head.

"Is she going tomorrow, too?" Christina then asked as she pointed at Angie.

"You know, you can ask her yourself. She does speak English." Linda responded, fighting back the urge to get up and smack her cousin.

"Geesh, you don't have to be bitchy about it!" Christina jumped up from the couch, grabbed her bags and headed for her bedroom. When the door slammed shut, Angie finally spoke up.

" God, how can you put with her? I'd have her cursed in a day!" Angie growled as she looked down the hallway. " Has it been like this all the time?"

"Yes," Linda said as she held up the swimsuit to look it over. " She goes through this two- faced faze all the time. She's my best friend one minute, then she hates my guts the next."

" Are you still going tomorrow?" Angie asked as she pulled on her anklet.

Linda nodded. " I don't want to let down Michelangelo. He really wants me there."

" Mike is so sweet, isn't he?" Angie smiled remembering the day she had meet Dontallo's brother. " I think it's great that they put behind everything that happened and embrace you as their friend."

"Not all of them." Linda added as she pulled the price tags off of the bottom part of the swim suit.

" Can I ask you something?" Angie asked after a long pause. " Does it bother you that Leo is dating your cousin?"

Linda's eyes grew at her friend's question, but she then sighed and relaxed. " You know, it did at first, but I just told myself, things have changed, and I have to face it."

Angie crossed her arms. " Yeah, okay. Just like that, you let it go."

"Well, when he comes over, I leave." Linda confessed with a small smile. Angie laughed as she stood up.

"I have to get going. Don's meeting me in the park again."

Linda jumped up and walked Angie to the door. " I'd say you and Donatello are hitting it off really good."

Angie blushed a little as Linda opened the door and let her into the hallway. " It's been hard though. If I see him at school, we have to completely ignore each other. Don can't risked getting fired, and my mom would kill me if I got kicked out! She's paying my tuition!" A sly smile then spread across Angie's face. " But we have messed around in the elevators!"

Linda's mouth dropped as she began to laugh. " Oh, you are evil! What about the security cameras?"

" Don disconnects the wiring. He's really good at stuff like that."

Linda shook her head as she smiled. " Yes I know. See you tomorrow!"

Angie turned and waved. Linda waited until Angie had disappeared around the corner before she closed the door. She laughed a little, but it faded fast as she thought back to what Angie had asked her, and how she had lied saying she was fine. Linda didn't want her best friend to see how hurt she actually was. Linda had avoided the same question with the Turtles also. She wanted to forget Leonardo, forget everything that had happened, and she wanted nothing more than to move on with her life. But that little inner voice she had refused to be silenced, and Linda knew that all of that was impossible to do.

Linda rubbed her temples with her fingers, feeling a slight headache coming on. She looked at the stereo near the kitchen and figured maybe a little music would help calm her nerves. She grabbed the remote that sat on one of the huge speakers and sat down crossed legged on the floor. As soon as she pushed the ON button, the strands of an all too familiar song began. The lyrics were about a couple who had just broken up, and the man was out on his own, living his life and having a good time. The girl in the song told everyone that she was over the guy, but deep down she still was still in love with him, and was heartbroken that he had gotten over so fast.

"Oh, no. Not again! Why does this song haunt me?" Linda buried her face into her hands as a female voice forced her words into Linda's brain.She felt the tears that had begun to fill her eyes fall down her face in continuous streams. She stared at the stereo is disbelief, thinking back to the first time she had heard this song, which had been the same day that Leonardo had chosen Christina over her, and every day after that, every time Linda turned on a radio or passed by one, the same song would play, as it was playing at that very moment.

"Hey, Lin. I'm sorry I yelled at you like that."

Linda turned, and looked at her cousin with her tear filled eyes, then her sobs became stronger.

"Oh my God, Linda! What's wrong?" Christina fell to her knees and grabbed onto Linda, holding her tightly as her body shook. "Oh, honey! What is going on?"

"It's-I-I" Linda stuttered, not really knowing how to find the words to say.She pulled back from her cousin and held onto Christina's hands. " I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Christina asked, and Linda could hear the genuine concern in her voice that Christina hardly ever felt.

"I need to tell you the truth about Leonardo and me. About our relationship." Linda's head dropped as the tears ran faster down her face. " It was so much more than I told you it was. We were deeply in love, and- God, there is so much involved with this!"

Christina pulled a hand free and stroked Linda's black hair. " Honey, I may not be that bright, but I knew what your feelings were for Leo. Your eyes told me everything. Your tears told me everything. There is no way someone could get that upset unless it was truly deep."

Linda rose her eyes to meet Christina. " I'm sorry. I just- I just didn't want to get in the way. I wanted to move on! I wanted to forget him! But I can't Christina! I just can't!" Linda then collapsed into another sobbing mess as Christina continued to console her. She lifted Linda back up and wiped the river of tears from her face.

"Now, tell me everything."

Linda took a deep breath, then began her story. Christina listened intently as her cousin described the old friendship of Linda's father and Splinter, how her and Leonardo had made a connection and became great friends. Then Linda's story turned terrible when she told Christina's of her mother's death, how she had become depressed, and how things became good again when Leonardo once again appeared by her side. A smile began to cover Linda's tears as she recalled how their friendship and deep understanding of one another blossomed into love. But the smile soon faded when she had to tell Christina of the day she found her father, and how she had to go against the one she loved to find the answers she needed. Linda then felt the tears return as she remembered the day that had shattered Leonardo's heart when he discovered Linda had been in the company of the Foot. As Linda finished, her tears fell faster as the visions of her father being slain by the Shredder flashed in her head, and the last words Leonardo had said to her before she walked away.

_I don't believe in fate..._

Linda looked back at Christina, and noticed her cousin was also in tears.

"Oh my God, Linda!" Christina exclaimed as she sobbed. " I had no idea it was like that! I couldn't even imagine what you guys went through!" She got up and walked around the couch, then came back to Linda's side with a box of tissues. " All you wanted to do was help them, and Leo turned his back on you!" Christina then blew her nose. " How could he just let you go like that?"

"He was hurt, Chris, and I didn't realized how hurt he was until I saw him on the balcony the night of your party." Linda took the tissue Christina had shoved in her face and wiped her eyes.

"But, it was like, five years ago!" Christina remarked as she felt her anger rising. " How could he hold onto it that long?" Christina then gasped as she looked into Linda's eyes. " He still loves you!"

"What?" Linda shook her head. " No! After what I did to him? You don't know him like I do! Leonardo does not take betrayal very lightly."

Christina jumped to her feet. " Come on, Lin! Wake up! Leo is still in love with you! That _is_ why he's still hurting! And you're right, I don't know him like you do, but I do know that he is just so angry at himself for letting you go, that he has to tell everyone he's over you! Does that make sense?"

Linda sat in silence for a moment. " I suppose it does. I don't know."

Christina plopped back down on the floor and clasped her hands together. " I'm going to help you."

" Help me what?" Linda said as she grabbed another tissue.

"Okay, I was waiting for the right time to tell you this, but I guess I have to now. Um, well, I'm going back to California!"

Linda dropped the tissue from her eyes. " You are? When?"

" Next weekend. Daddy has a spot for me at his production company and he said I can finish school there too. And, to answer the next question you are going to ask, no, I haven't told Leo yet. I am going to tomorrow after the barbecue thing."

"And how is this helping me?" Linda asked with panic in voice. " I have to find another place to live now. I can't afford this place by myself."

"Go stay with that Angie girl. I'm sure she won't mind." Christina said waving her hand toward the door. " But about the helping part. I can talk to Leo and maybe get you guys back together!"

"Oh no, no, no!" Linda rose to her feet and walked over to the couch. " I don't want that Christina. I need to move on. I can't deal with him anymore. It hurts too much"

Christina raced after Linda and joined her on the couch. " Come on! I need to do something! I fell like I have gotten in the way of everything since I found out about you guys. At least let me try! Please?"

Linda stared into her cousin's blue eyes, and knew that her words were from her heart. Linda then sighed heavily. " Just so you know, Leonardo doesn't like to be forced into things."

"Yeah, I know." Christina said as she sat back into the cushion. " You don't know how many times I've tried to get him to have-" Christina then slapped her hands over her mouth as her eyes grew wide.

Linda sighed as she glared at her cousin. " I'm so glad you're leaving."


	12. Chapter Eleven: Part One

Chapter Eleven:

Part One

Linda turned her Camry into the driveway of the Turtles home, and gasped almost as loud as Angie did.

"Look at this house! It's beautiful!" Angie exclaimed.

Linda nodded, then slowly pulled her car around and parked it near the other opening that led out onto the street. As they got out of the car and reached into the backseat, Angie smiled and winked at Linda.

" There won't be any reason for you to make a quick escape, Linda. Nothing is going to happen. You have too many friends on your side."

Linda then realized what she had done. " I know I shouldn't worry, but I feel really weird about all of this." She stuffed her towel into Angie's black backpack and zipped it up. As Linda stood up, she adjusted the top of the bathing suit as she had done all the way from the city.

" I feel so self-conscious in this thing!"

Angie then stood up, flinging the bag over her shoulder. " You should be so lucky as to have the tight stomach for it! Me, on the other hand, I need tummy control." She patted the front of her black suit just above her light blue jean shorts.

" What are you talking about?" Linda laughed as they walked towards the large glass doors. " You're not that much bigger than me. You look fine, and besides, when did you ever care about that?"

Linda found her answer as Michelangelo and Donatello opened the door and walked out onto the porch. A huge smile spread across Angie's face as she ran up the shallow steps, jumped into Donatello's arms, and planted a kiss on his lips. Linda couldn't help but feel a bit envious as she watched them nuzzle each other, but she quickly turned her jealous thoughts into happy ones, and instead felt thankful that her best friend was happy.

"I'm really glad you came!" Michelangelo said as he wrapped his arms around Linda as she joined them on the porch. " I was afraid you weren't going to show up."

Linda pulled away from Michelangelo's embrace and patted his cheek. " I said I would come, and I did. I don't go back on my promises."

Michelangelo smiled and grabbed Linda's hand. " Come on! We'll give you guys the grand tour!" He dragged Linda through the doors. Donatello walked behind Angie, holding onto her hips as they entered the entrance way.

" Do you want to see my room?" Donatello whispered into Angie's ear, which caused her to blush and giggle.

" Don! You are so terrible!" She whispered back, lightly smacking his arm.

"Hey!" Michelangelo shouted. " Cool it, you guys! Or you'll be spending the day in separate corners."

Donatello and Angie laughed as they walked ahead of Linda and Michelangelo. As Linda took her first step out of the entrance way, her eyes went directly to the wooden flooring under her now bare feet.

"Wow. This flooring is beautiful." She said as she noticed her reflection in the wax.

"Yeah, and it's a bitch to take care of too!" Michelangelo laughed.

" I'd imagine so." Linda then let her eyes wonder over to her left, where there was a small room and with a wrap-around hallway that led to another room.

"That's our computer room." Michelangelo said as he noticed where Linda's eyes had gone.

"That's MY study, thank you." Doantello quickly corrected his brother. " You go in there and _mess up _the computer."

Michelangelo responded to Donatello by sticking out his tongue, then pointed at the hallway passed the study. " Our laundry room is behind there, along with the guest bathroom." His finger then moved to the opposite side. " There's the guestrooms. You girls can stick you junk in there."

Linda grabbed Angie's bag then walked into one of the rooms and set it down on the bed. She looked around at the decor, which was done in various shades of blue. She peeked around the corner and looked into the neighboring room. It was basically the same as the first one, but done in green. She walked back through the door and meet back up with the others. " Your guestrooms look like they belong in a fancy hotel, minus the mint on the pillows."

Michelangelo shrugged. " That's Leo's fault. The rest of us wanted to knock the wall down and put in a pool table."

Linda laughed slightly as her eyes then followed the banister of the wide staircase as it spiraled around to the open landing above them. She saw a hint of a hallway and guessed that's where the Turtles room where located. She brought her eyes back down to the large doorway that lead into the huge living room. She walked closer to the door frame to get a better look. The first thing that drew her attention were the Turtles weapons and masks that hung above the fireplace, but she then noticed something odd about them. Small cobwebs had began to form around Michelangelo's nunchucks, Raphael's sais, and Donatello's bo, as had a layer of dust. But Leonardo's swords were clean, free of any obstructions that might turn and tarnish them. Even his faded blue mask was dust free. Linda suddenly found herself smiling, remembering how much pride Leonardo put into his swords, and she was happy that he still put that effort into them even though he never used them anymore.

A loud growling sound startled Linda and she turned around.

" Michelangelo, was that your stomach again?" Linda asked, thinking back to the time when she had stayed with the Turtles in their sewer home and had heard that noise on several occasions.

" Yeah," Michelangelo grabbed at his stomach and grinned. " I skipped breakfast so I could pig out on burgers!"

" You know what?" Angie said as she held up her hand. " We left my side dishes in the car."

"I'll go get them." Donatello let go of Angie and raced out to Linda's car.

Michelangelo then led the girls into the dining room and kitchen where they stopped and waited for Donatello before going out onto the patio.

When Donatello came back into the house, he set three large glass plates down onto the counter. Michelangelo peered into the saran wrap of one of the plates and wrinkled his nose at the triangle shaped food.

"What's that?" He asked as he pointed to the plate.

"It's _baklava_. It's a Greek pastry made with _fyllo_, walnuts, sugar and honey."

Michelangelo then made another face. " What the heck is _fyllo_?"

" It's a type of dough that's made especially for _baklava_." Angie opened up a corner and punched a small piece of the pastry. " Here, Mike. Try it!"

Michelangelo opened his mouth as Angie tossed the pastry into his mouth.

" Holy crap!" He exclaimed after the sweet taste hit his tongue. " Forget the burgers! I'm saving room for that!" He looked back at the counter and pointed at the remaining plates. " What else you got?"

Angie lifted the saran wrap on the dishes. " This one is called _skorthalia_, which is just mashed potatoes mixed with garlic and olive oil, and this is _sparankorizo, _spinach rice."

" Is that all Greek too?" Michelangelo chuckled. " Let me guess, you're from Greece, right?"

"No, I grew up in the Bronx. My family is from Greece." Angie smiled as she recovered the dishes. " I just know how to cook every single Greek dish out there."

" Yeah, I can see that by how big Donnie's gut's getting!" Michelangelo shoved his finger into his brothers side and poked it many times.

"Knock it off, Mikey!" Donatello pushed Michelangelo away and opened the sliding glass door that led to the back deck. " Ladies first." He backed away and let Linda and Angie pass by, then fell backwards as Michelangelo jumped in front of him. Donatello just shook his head and walked out onto the deck.

Linda and Angie felt stunned again as they walked out onto the deck, and they both gasped at the incredible sight. The wood that the deck was made from was cedar, and it was stained from the roof to the flooring in a beautiful golden red. Linda let her nose linger on the wonderful cedar smell, as it reminded her of the chest that once sat at the foot of her mother and father's bed.

The patio furniture was the next thing that caught their eyes. The four high-backed chairs, couch, and the glass pained table where made from a deep brown colored wicker, as was the rocking chair, which Linda immediately knew belonged to Splinter. Dark green cushions on the five chairs and the couch completed the set. Surrounding the patio furniture were several large ferns in ceramic pots, giving the atmosphere a jungle quality.

A breeze blew in from the ocean, and the girls heard several soft ringing sounds. They looked up to see wind chimes strung all the way around the porch. They were made from different metals, and varied in size, but they all chimed in perfect harmony.

"Did this porch come with the house?" Angie asked.

"No, the one below it did, and it was way too small for us." Donatello replied. " We built this one ourselves."

Linda once again looked around, taking in her surroundings with all of her senses. " Leonardo added the wind chimes."

Donatello and Michelangelo glanced at each other, not really knowing how to answer Linda's remark.

" Yeah, he did." Donatello spoke up first. " He also picked out the stain for the porch, the furniture and the plants."

"Well, I would say that your brother has a knack for decorating." Angie said as she smiled and snuggled up to Donatello. " Everything feels so harmonious and peaceful out here."

No sooner had Angie spoke when a football passed through the space between the roof and the porch railing, flew over their heads and smacked loudly against the back wall of the house. Seconds later, they all heard Raphael's voice booming from the beach below.

" Casey, you dumbass! I said throw, not punt!"

Linda giggled slightly as footsteps pounded up the flight of stairs, and Raphael appeared before them, followed by Casey and a mutant fox that Linda had never seen before.

"Hey! You're here!" Raphael forgot about the football and grabbed Linda in a hug, then stepped back. " I'm glad ya came."

"Vanessa? Hey! How are you?" Angie reached her arms out and embraced the mutant fox. " I haven't seen you in a while."

"You two know each other?" Donatello asked as he waved his finger between them.

" We go to the same gym." Angie said as she let Vanessa go.

" Yeah, we use the steps machines behind this fat, sweaty guy." Vanessa stuck out her tongue and made a gagging noise, then laughed when Angie did the same. Her eyes then went to Linda as she smacked Raphael with the back of her clawed hand. " Aren't you going to introduce me?"

" Shit, woman!" Raphael exclaimed with a grin on his face as he grabbed his shoulder. " You're lucky I don't knock you out!"

" I'd like to see you try it!" Vanessa yelled back as Raphael turned to face her.

Donatello laughed as the two exchanged growls. " Vanessa, this is Linda."

Vanessa stopped and turned her head, and Linda saw the surprise in the mutant's eyes.

" You're Linda? As in THE Linda?" Vanessa grabbed Linda's hand and shook it.

" I guess so," Linda said as an uneasy smile appeared on her face. " I didn't know I had an official title."

" Raph told me everything," Vanessa then offered Linda a comforting hug. " Don't worry about a thing, hon. We're going to have a good time today."

" Hey!" Casey exclaimed. " We gotta enough people to play volleyball now."

"I didn't know you could count that high, Case," Raphael snicker as he picked up the football and sat it on the couch.

" How about I knock YOU out?" Casey said as he balled up his fists. Vanessa laughed and grabbed the volleyball that sat near the steps.

" I'll hold him down for you, Casey!" Vanessa then ran down the steps as Raphael and Casey chased after her.

Linda looked around again, then turned around to face Donatello and Michelangelo.

" Where is Christina?"

" She down on the beach." Donatello said as he pulled his sunglasses out of the pocket of his opened yellow and brown Hawaiian print shirt.

" Sammy and Taylor were trying to get her to go into the water with them," Michelangelo removed his t-shirt and threw it on the couch. " But she said, and I quote," He then spoke in a high pitched voice. " ' There is no way I'm going into that nasty Atlantic water! It's like swimming in piss!' She's lying on the beach trying to fry her skin now. "

Angie's jaw dropped as she turned to Linda. " I still can not believe she is related to you."

Linda said nothing, but shrugged as they made their way down the steep steps of the two story porch. She looked around at the rocky cliff that the house sat on, then looked down at the sand below.

" How high up is this, Donatello?"

" It's about fifty feet. Nice drop if you're planning on not coming back up."

The steps then stopped at a small platform, which contained a large stainless steel gas grill, two lawn chairs and a small table between the chairs. Linda then noticed that one of the chairs was occupied by an older woman, who was in the process of placing sun screen on the two children that stood in front of her.

" You remember April, don't ya?" Michelangelo asked as he pointed.

April stood up and smiled. " Linda! It's so good to you see you again!" The two embraced then stepped back as April held onto Linda's arms. " Oh, you cut your hair off!"

Linda laughed and pushed her hair behind her ears. " I guess I'll have to grow it out since everyone complaining about it."

" Don't you dare!" April shook her head. " It's makes you look very mature. You remember my daughter Samantha, don't you?"

The little girl, who Linda guessed to be at least nine, peeked out from behind April and shyly waved at Linda. Linda dropped down to one knee and waved back.

" Hello, Samantha. You probably don't remember me, but met you when you were very young."

Samantha smiled as she wrapped her long, curly red hair around her fingers. They were then joined by the young boy, who grabbed Linda's hand, shook it wildly and introduced himself in a thick Australian accent.

" I'm Taylor. Nice to meet you!"

" Nice to meet you too, Taylor." Linda looked back at April. " He's not yours, right?"

April smiled. " No. Taylor is one of Leo's students. One of the best from what I hear."

"You guys wanna play some volleyball?" Michelangelo asked as he lifted Samantha onto his shoulders.

" I do! I do!" The kids screamed in unison, and the group made their way down to the sand, where Raphael and Casey had just finished putting up the volleyball net. Linda looked over to her left, and noticed Leonardo, who was laying on his back on a beach towel with his hands behind his head and he had one knee bent with the other leg sitting across it. Her cousin was sitting next him, on her stomach and, from the tone of Leonardo's voice, they seemed to be engaged in a bitter conversation. Linda then noticed the strings of Christina's white bikini top were untied, and she watched as Christina pointed to a bottle of tanning lotion, then to her back. She heard Leonardo sigh loudly as he sat up and began to squeeze the lotion on Christina's back. He haphazardly smeared it around like he didn't really care. Leonardo then looked up as everyone walked by them, and even though he had sunglasses over his eyes, Linda felt him watch her. Leonardo then began to rub the lotion into Christina's back gently as he continued to watch Linda move past him.

" Okay, what was that all about?" Linda heard Angie whisper, realizing that her friend had seen it too.

" All right," Raphael tossed the ball up and down. " Me and Mikey are team captains. Mikey, you go ahead and pick your people."

" Uh," Michelangelo tapped on his chin with his finger. " I want Donnie, Casey, Angie and Sammy."

" Man, with that group of losers, you are going down, bro!" Raphael laughed as he waved for Linda, Vanessa, April and Taylor to join him.

"Hang on!" Michelangelo ran over to Leonardo and Christina. " Come on Leo! You love volleyball!"

Leonardo looked up at his brother. " Sure. I'll play." He looked down at Christina, who held onto the straps of her top as she turned over.

" You know, I'm not really into sports. Too much sweating. I have bad knees too." She then shoved one of her hands up toward Michelangelo. " Plus, I just had my nails done." She patted Leonardo on the leg and smiled. " You go ahead."

" But, then the teams will be uneven." Leonardo replied with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

" Come on! Hurry up!" Raphael yelled over the roar of the ocean.

Leonardo sighed. " It's okay, Mikey. I have to get the grill going soon anyway."

Michelangelo nodded, then frowned at Christina as he turned and joined everyone by the net. Raphael tossed the ball at Linda who moved into the back corner. She threw the ball into the air and smacked it hard, sending it flying over the net where Donatello called it and bounced it back over. Vanessa dove under it, hitting it just before it touched the ground, and the ball barely missed the net. Samantha set the shot up, then Angie spiked it back down, just between Raphael's feet.

" HA HA! Who's the group of losers now, Raph?" Michelangelo laughed as he pointed at Raphael, who growled back in response as he sent the ball back over the net. Casey was up to serve and tossed the ball into the air and over the net.

" I got it!" Vanessa shouted as she positioned herself. As the ball came down, Raphael jumped in front of her and smacked the ball down into the sand on the other side.

" What the hell, Raph?" Vanessa screamed. " I called it!"

" Well, move faster next time." Raphael said as the ball flew back into his hands. Vanessa sighed and stomped away as Raphael sent the ball back to Linda. She got into position and got ready to serve when she looked over at Leonardo and Christina. She watched intently as Christina tried to get Leonardo to snuggle with her, and was miserably failing.

" What's the hold up?" Raphael looked at Linda, then followed her eyes to where his brother and Linda's cousin sat. He watched as Leonardo pushed himself out of Christina's hands several times, then, after looking up at them, suddenly wrapped his arms around Christina and proceeded to nuzzle her on the neck. Raphael narrowed his eyes and growled, then looked back at Linda, who was doing the same thing. He waved at her to make her eyes move away.

" Don't look. Just hit the ball."

Vanessa, who had also watched Leonardo, turned around and distracted Linda's eyes.

" Don't let it bother you, hon. Just play."

Linda once again lifted the ball into the air as she tried to push the images of Leonardo and Christina out of her head. She glanced over at them again, just in time to see Leonardo kiss Christina on the lips. Linda turned her head back, feeling the fire of jealousy burning its way through her body. Her hands trembled as she tossed the ball into the air, and then suddenly smacked the ball really hard and sent it flying across the sand, landing right in between Leonardo and Christina, and caused them to jump and fall backwards. When Leonardo pushed himself back up, his sunglasses were no longer on his face, and he threw a hateful look to Linda, who in turn gave him one right back.

" Damn it Linda!" Raphael whispered through his teeth as he turned and ran to get the ball. Linda turned her gaze away from Leonardo and looked over on the other side of the net. No one said anything, or even moved. Vanessa walked over to Linda and grabbed her shoulders.

" What did we say, Linda?" She whispered as she looked into Linda's eyes. " Don't let him get to you like that. Do you want to go back into the house?"

Linda took a deep breath as she felt tears welling up in her eyes and suddenly felt very foolish for acting out. " No, I'm okay now. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."

" Linda! The net is THAT way, dear!" Christina's voice rang out as Raphael returned with the ball in his hands. He rolled his eyes and mocked Christina, then shoved the ball back to Linda.

" Next time you fell the urge to do that, make sure ya hit her in the head." Raphael then winked and patted Linda on the shoulder. Linda smiled through her tears, then set the ball back up for another serve.


	13. Chapter Eleven:Part Two

Chapter Eleven:

Part Two

" Man, I'm so full!" Michelangelo said as he fell back onto the deck and patted his stomach. " I don't think I'll ever eat again."

" Until tonight around midnight when you sneak into the kitchen looking for leftovers." Donatello joked, causing everyone to laugh.

" What's next on our agenda?" Vanessa asked as she tossed her crumpled up napkin onto her paper plate. Raphael piled his plate on Vanessa's and placed them both onto the table.

" Our neighbor down the street shoots his fireworks off at ten, so we got some time before we start our bonfire." He looked around at everyone and raised his hands. " So, if anyone has any ideas-"

Raphael stopped talking as Leonardo suddenly appeared on the deck with Christina behind him, her hands clasped around his own right hand, and both of them carried a red plastic cup. He glared at his brother as they moved to the far corner of the deck away the crowd and sat down, Christina placing herself in between Leonardo legs and rested her elbows on his knees. Linda kept her head down the entire time.

" So, what are you guys doing?" Christina asked, oblivious to the tension that sudden filled the air.

" That's what we were trying to decide." April answered her as she and the kids collected everyone's garbage and carried everything back into the house.

" Oooo, I know!" Angie jumped up from her seat beside Donatello and ran into the house. Seconds later, she reappeared holding an object tied in a green silk scarf.

" You brought your cards?" Linda smiled as Angie sat back down on the deck.

" Cards?" Michelangelo sat back up. " Are we playing poker?" He rubbed his hands together and smiled wickedly.

" Mikey!" Raphael snapped. " We told you! No more gamblin!"

Angie removed the scarf and spread it out in front of her. She then placed an oversized deck of worn cards on the scarf. Donatello looked down at them and studied the blue and black crisscross pattern that covered the cards.

" Oh, your Tarot cards. You really do carry them everywhere with you."

" Oh, course. Now, who wants a reading?"

Michelangelo's hand shot into the air. " Me! Me! Me!" He scooted across the deck and sat directly in front of Angie. Angie smiled as she lifted the cards into her hands.

" Okay, Mike. I want you shuffle the cards three times, cut the deck three ways, then placed them back down."

Michelangelo picked the cards up gently then began to hum as he shuffled them. After he had cut the deck and placed the cards back together, he placed them back down. Angie lifted them from the scarf and laid down three cards in a straight line. She studied the cards for a second, then smiled.

" Okay, this is what the cards say. This first one," she pointed to the card which featured eight long wooden sticks sailing through the air. " You're recently started a project that you are very excited about, and you're waiting for some sort of public reaction."

" Yeah!" Michelangelo nodded. " I just published a comic book. Did Donnie tell you about that?"

" I never said a word to Angie about that." Donatello said.

" Your next card, the Ace of Coins," Angie continued. " This is a good card considering what you just told me. You will defiantly be successful with your comic, Mikey, and this card means that you will receive wealth beyond your wildest dreams!"

" What?" Raphael scoffed. " That's crazy! He hasn't even sold any yet!" He then leaned over to Donatello and tapped on his brothers' shoulder.

" Don't tell me you're buyin all of this occult crap?" Raphael whispered into Donatello's ear hole.

" Let's just say I've expanded my horizons beyond the scientific realm," Donatello said with a smile as he rubbed Angie's back with his hand.

" Now this last one, the ten of Cups," Angie placed her finger on the card. " It's seems a little out of place. Have you done some sort of, how do I put this, 'rescuing' of any kind?"

" Huh? Rescuing? No." Michelangelo scratched his head as he looked down at the card.

Angie kept her finger on the card and closed her eyes. " I see a young girl, with blonde hair, and she's in trouble." She opened her eyes back up. " You're her knight in shining armor. You save her and you two live happily ever after."

" Oh, how sweet is that!" Vanessa smiled as moved from the couch and took a place beside of Michelangelo.

" If you say so. I want hear more about the money I won't be sharing with Raphael."

Michelangelo joked. Vanessa joined in with his laughter as Raphael glared at the both of them.

" Can I go next?" Vanessa asked eagerly.

" You've gotta be kiddin me!" Raphael threw his hands into the air as he stood up and moved to the railing of the deck.

" Okay, just do the same as Mike did. Shuffle and cut the deck three times." Angie picked up the deck and placed the cards into Vanessa's furry hands. Vanessa did as she was told then placed the cards back down onto the scarf. Angie picked them up again and turned over three more.

" Again, we have the Ace of Coins." Angie announced as she pointed to the card. " But this time, it has more to do with a proposal."

Raphael's eyes grew wide as he spun around. He moved back over to Vanessa, then stood behind her, looking down at the cards with a fearful interest.

" A proposal?" Vanessa asked as a smile spread across her face. " As in a marriage proposal?"

" So it seems." Angie leaned back and studied Vanessa's face. " But it seems one of the parties involves is it for wealth, not love."

Vanessa stared blankly at Angie for a moment then spoke without removing her eyes. " What about the other ones?"

Angie dropped her gaze. " Your next card, the 8 of swords, indicates to me that someone is trying to control you, and they won't stop until they have every aspect of your life under their thumb."

Vanessa then turned her eyes to Raphael, who had just sat down beside of her.

" I ain't say a word." He said as he leaned back onto his hands and stretched out his legs.

" But, there is hope for you." Angie regained her smile as she drew Vanessa's attention back to the cards. " This one, the Hanged Man, tells me you will be given a choice between two people, two very different life styles. Now the decision will not come to you easily, and there will be a lot of complications, but you will make the right choice."

Vanessa nodded as she stood up and moved back to the couch, then sat quietly. Raphael looked at her as she lost herself in deep thought, and held back the urge to grab her in his arms. Raphael then felt a pair of eyes on him and turned to see Angie's brown eyes burning into his head. She turned her head to Vanessa, then looked back at Raphael and offered him a smile and a wink, as if she knew about his feelings for the fox.

" Hey, Donnie. Why don't you go next?" Michelangelo pipped up, breaking Raphael's eyes away from Angie.

" No, no," Donatello shook his head. " She already did me."

Angie's eyes grew big and a hint of red flushed her cheeks as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Casey busted into fits of laughter. Donatello smacked his face with his hand as he tried to hold back his own laughter.

" Okay, you guys. I didn't mean it like that. Get you minds out of the gutter!" He then let his laughter out when he noticed Angie had grabbed her stomach and leaned forward as the laughter poured out of her. As Angie raised her head back up, her laughter immediately stopped when she noticed Leonardo was sitting in front of her. The laughter around her also died quickly as Raphael stood up and moved back to the couch. Michelangelo also stood up and moved over to one of the high backed chairs next to Casey. Linda held her ground and stayed by Angie's side.

" Do you want me to read your cards, Leo?" Angie asked, her voice almost in a whisper.

" If you don't mind," Leonardo's voice was just as low, as if he was trying to hide what he was doing. Angie replaced the three cards to the deck then silently placed them into Leonardo's open hand, lightly brushing her fingers against his green skin.

_A flash of metal, a sword perhaps. Blood. It's everywhere._

Angie blinked her eyes several times, then placed her hand against her temple. Donatello noticed Angie's body had become rigid and he leaned into her ear.

" Are you okay?"

Angie nodded. " It was nothing. I'm fine."

Leonardo placed the cards down, then folded his hands into his lap. Angie picked up the deck, then felt a shiver travel down her spine.

_Can't you hear it? That voice! It won't leave me alone!_

"Angie?" Donatello placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

" I'm okay. Maybe I'm getting chilly."

" I'll go grab a sweatshirt for you." Donatello then stood up and disappeared into the house. Angie's hand trembled as she laid down the top three cards on the deck. She could feel Leonardo's eyes studying the way her hands shook.

" Uh, okay." Angie looked down at the first card. The picture on the card showed a man sobbing into his hands as he sat upright in his bed. " The nine of Swords. I, well, the card," Angie lifted her eyes to Leonardo.

_Don't you get it? I can't get over this! It's too hard! Help me!_

" The card what?" Raphael raised his voice, signaling his growing impatience.

" This card is telling me that you are in deep despair over a past memory. You have several reoccurring nightmares that force you to lose sleep and you cannot get over what has happened to you."

" Well, that is painful obvious." Leonardo slurred his words as he took a drink of the liquid in his cup. Linda lowered her eyes and clasped her hands together.

" The next one, the ten of Swords." Angie looked back up at Leonardo, and he could see the surprise in her eyes. " You're in the process of using someone."

Leonardo's eyes grew like an animal trapped in headlights. " What?"

" This card represents backstabbing. You are using someone in order to get even with another."

Leonardo shook his head and laughed. " That's ridiculous!" He finished off his drink then stood up. He swayed a little bit then regained his posture. " Come on, Christina." Everyone watched as Leonardo staggered down the steps with Christina right on his heels. Raphael then growled curse words under his breath.

" What does his last card say?" Michelangelo asked out of curiosity.

Angie smiled, realizing she hadn't paid attention to it. " It's the Lovers." She lifted the card up and felt the shiver in her body disappear. "It signifies the one true love in his life." She then placed her other arm around Linda and hugged her tightly. " Things will turn out. That is the path that fate has laid out for him."

* * *

The roar of the ocean and the crackle of the burning wood were the only sounds that were made as they sat around the fire. Michelangelo was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with Taylor and Samantha. Casey sat quietly next to April, who was talking with Angie about astrology, as Donatello held onto Angie and listened intently. Raphael and Vanessa sat next to each other, but were both lost in their own thoughts. Linda sat on Raphael's other side and would start small conversations with him that would only drift away into nothing. On the other side of the fire, Leonardo sat with his arms folded over his chest and his legs stretched out. Christina sat next to him, and chatted endlessly into his ear. Linda watched as Leonardo rolled his eyes and sighed heavily every so often, visibly tired of her cousin's blathering. It was obvious to everyone that Leonardo was drunk, even if it never passed through anyone's lips. Raphael stared at his brother through the fire, and Linda could feel the anger coursing through his body. Linda then realized that ever since she had arrived, Raphael had been watching Leonardo and her cousin with much interest.

"That bastard."

Linda heard Raphael mumble under his breath and she turned to him.

"What?"

Raphael then blinked and looked at Linda. " Nothin. Don't worry about it."

Linda quickly leaned back against the large pieces of drift wood that had been set around the fire pit. She then looked through the fire at Leonardo, and discovered he had been watching her. She then felt a stabbing pain in her heart as Leonardo grabbed Christina into his lap and kissed her deeply as she straddled him. Linda could feel her tears rushing back into her eyes.

" Fuckin bastard."

Linda again turned to Raphael, who had spoken louder that time, and saw he had disgusted smile on his face. He met Linda's eyes, then realized from her tears that she too had seen what his brother had done. The tears than ran faster down Linda's cheeks and, before Raphael could stop her, Linda stood up and ran towards the house. Christina broke away from Leonardo and saw her cousin racing up the steps. She turned around to face Raphael.

" What's wrong with her?"

Raphael shrugged his shoulders. " Dunno. Maybe you should ask him." He lifted his finger and pointed to Leonardo. Christina pushed herself out of Leonardo's grasp and chased after Linda. Leonardo watched her leave, and let out the breath he had been holding. It was then he noticed the several pairs of eyes that now rested on him.

" What the Hell are guys staring at?" His words slurred together as he stood up, holding onto the driftwood behind him for support, then he staggered across the beach and climbed the stairs.

"Hope ya fall and break ya neck!" Raphael shouted loudly over the crashing oceans waves.

" Raph, please, don't say things like that."

Raphael turned and stared blankly at Angie. " And why shouldn't I?"

" It's bad karma for one thing." Angie stood up from the driftwood and brushed the dirt from her jeans. " You just don't understand how badly Leo needs our help."

" Help?" Raphael scoffed at the word. " I ain't helpin that asshole."

"I'm going to take the kids for a walk. Are you coming with me, honey?" April asked as she pulled Casey up. He shook his head and the four of them headed down the beach.

" Leo has lost himself." Angie tried again. " He needs spiritual help."

" What he needs is my foot in his ass!" Raphael jumped up, stormed across the sand and pounded up the steep staircase. Angie shook her head, then moved away from the fire. She had only made it a few feet when Donatello joined her side.

" Do you not see it?" She asked Donatello without looking up. " Do you not see that your brother is in pain?"

" I see it," Donatello replied.

" He showed me everything, Don." Angie stopped and felt a sadness creep over her.

" When I touched his hand, I could see the pain and suffering that he is holding within him."

Donatello suddenly stopped walking. " Why are you on his side all of the sudden?"

Angie then stopped and crossed her arms. " You don't understand, do you?"

" Understand what?" Donatello asked as his voice rose. " The only thing that I am certain of is the fact that my older brother is turning into everything he always hated and my family is falling apart because of it!"

" That is why you must help him, Don!" Angie grabbed Donatello's arm. " Help your brother defeat his inner demons."

Donatello pulled his arm out of Angie's grasp. " No. Not this time. Leo did this to himself. He can help himself get out of it too." He then turned away and walked back to the fire. Angie felt her heart become heavy as her love's words echoed in her head, and it brought silent tears to her eyes.

_I guess I am alone in my crusade._

Angie looked up the cliff to the house, then made her way across the sand, and she felt Donatello's eyes watch her every step.

* * *

"Linda! Come on! Talk to me! Please!"

" Go away, Christina! I don't want to be bothered!"

Christina took a step back away from the bathroom door and placed her fists on her hips. The alcohol that she had been pouring into her system was giving her a headache, and her cousin wasn't helping the pain that shot through her temples.

" I was going to talk to him! I swear I was!" Christina yelled to the closed door, then jumped back as Linda flung the door open. She blinked her wide eyes several times as she looked at Linda's tear stained face.

" How stupid can you be!" Linda screamed through her tears. " Why do you think I would be crying over that? Don't you ever think before you speak?"

Christina didn't know how to answer Linda and just shook her head back and forth.

" God, why don't you just fuck him and get it over with!" Linda screamed again, making Christina huddle against the wall behind her. She had never heard her cousin curse before, and the hatred that ran through Linda's words made Christina cringe even more.

"Linda-" Christina began but was stopped by Linda's raised hand, and she then heard what Linda had heard. Loud voices echoed from the living room through the foyer into the hallway they stood in, and Linda stepped out of the bathroom. She moved quietly across the foyer as her ninja training had taught her to do. Christina followed her cousin, though she wasn't as quiet as Linda had been, and they both stopped just beyond the doorway when the voices grew louder.

" Why don't you just admit it, Leo!" Raphael shouted. " I know damn well what you've been doin! I've been watchin you all friggin day!"

Linda then jumped over to the doorway, watching to make sure Christina didn't stumbled in her drunken state as she joined her, then peered around the corner into the living room.

" I have no idea what you are talking about, Raph." Leonardo replied as calmly as he could.

" Don't give me that bullshit!" Raphael pointed a finger at Leonardo's face. " Christina doesn't deserve to be treated like that!"

" Since when did you start caring?" Leonardo crossed his arms over his chest. " I thought you couldn't stand her."

" No." Raphael shook his head. " Now it's YOU I can't stand. I feel sorry for that brat now."

Christina wrinkled her nose at Raphael's words. " I'm not a brat!"

Linda placed her hand over Christina's mouth, then continued to listen.

" You know," Raphael moved closer to his brother. " Linda doesn't deserve it either, Leo."

Leonardo suddenly laughed. " Like Hell she doesn't! Since when did you start to care about her too? I seemed to recall a time when you didn't trust her and would always try to keep her away from me."

Raphael growled and clenched his fists. " Dammit, Leo! That was years ago! Unlike you, I've gotten over all that shit and moved on! I'd take her side now over yours any day."

Leonardo shook his head. " I see." He moved over toward the bay windows that overlooked the beach below and stared out across the darken waters. " You just don't understand. None of you do."

" All right! That's enough of that!" Raphael screamed in frustration. " I'm sick of you actin like the helpless victim in all of this!" He walked up behind his brother, grabbed Leonardo by the shoulders and turned him around. " Wake the fuck up and look at what your doin!"

Leonardo violently shoved Raphael's hands away then walked back to the couch. " What I'm doing is none of your business."

Linda heard a rustling noise and turned around to see that Donatello, Vanessa and Michelangelo had joined her and Christina in the doorway.

" What's going on?" Vanessa whispered to Linda.

" Shh." Linda placed her finger to her mouth, then turned back to the living room.

" Oh, so do you admit it now?" Raphael moved back over to Leonardo.

Leonardo growled loudly and turned to face his brother. " Okay fine! I admit it, okay?" His loud voice echoed against the high ceiling. " I _have_ been using Christina to get back at Linda! There! I said it! Now are you happy?"

"What!" Four out of the five onlookers whispered at the same time. Christina said nothing and tried several times to swallow the lump that was growing in her throat.

Raphael shook his head. " How can you do somethin like that, Leo? How can you be so heartless?"

" Heartless." Leonardo repeated the word. " You're exactly right, Raph. I have no heart. I've enjoyed watching how jealous Linda becomes when I touch her cousin. It makes me sick to my stomach to do it, but seeing how hurt Linda gets makes up for it."

Linda narrowed her eyes and growled. She heard a snuffle behind her and turned back to Christina. She grabbed her cousin in a tight hug and felt the shoulder of her sweatshirt become wet from tears.

Raphael shook his head once again then leaned against the fireplace mantle. " I can't believe you. Ya know, I always knew that someday you were gonna fall apart."

Leonardo narrowed his eyes. " What are you talking about?"

" You've always been in control. Always been the level headed one." Raphael moved a few inches closer to his brother. " Now, look at ya. You're nothin but a useless drunken bastard who gets off on hurtin people." He crossed his arms in front of him and smile wickedly. " And you wonder why Splinter left."

" He went into the mountains, Raph." Leonardo said with an eye roll. " He goes every summer."

" Are ya sure about that?" Raphael laughed. " Or is it cause his little pet ain't livin up to his expectations any more."

Leonardo felt the anger in him begin to boil. " Shut up, Raphael."

" Man, could you imagine how Splinter would feel if he came back right now and saw his star pupil drunk off his ass? What do you think he would say if he knew what you were doin?" Raphael's laughter grew louder as he could see the fire burning in Leonardo's eyes.

"Stop talking Raph." Linda heard Michelangelo whisper.

"You know, I would love to see the look on your face when our father tells you you're nothin but a disgrace and a disappointment!" Raphael's laughter hit a high point, but was stopped suddenly when Leonardo screamed, bringing his fist to meet Raphael's jaw line.

"Raph!" Vanessa screamed as she watched Raphael fall to the floor. She ran into the living room with Donatello and Michelangelo right behind her. They stood around Raphael as he sat up and shook his head. Vanessa reached down to pick him up, but Raphael batted her hands away. He climbed to his feet, rubbing at his jaw bone and subconsciously wiping at the blood that leaked from the corner of his mouth. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it just as fast as his eyes went above his brother. Leonardo turned around to see what Raphael was smiling at, then found the answer when he saw a flash of a hand, then felt a stinging sensation across his face. He stepped back, and looked into Christina's tear filled eyes as he rubbed his cheek.

" How DARE YOU!" She screamed. " Nobody does that to me! NOBODY!" She felt another round of tears clouding her eyes and did nothing to hide them. " I thought you really cared about me, Leo! God, I was so naive to think that you were different!" She turned sharply on her heels and headed back through the doorway, grabbing Linda's hand on her way.

" Let's go home, Linda! There is NO WAY I want you to be with that guy! You deserve better than that!"

Linda turned around as Christina dragged her away, and gave Leonardo one last look of disgust, then they disappeared through the front door. Leonardo turned back to his brothers and Vanessa. Raphael continued to rub his jaw as the swelling began to set in.

" I hope you rot in Hell." Raphael said with an evil glare, then pushed past Leonardo and headed for the deck. Vanessa also threw Leonardo a look, then followed behind Raphael. Leonardo's eyes went to floor and across the tan carpeting then back up to Donatello and Michelangelo.

" You got something to say to me too?" Leonardo asked as he put his defenses back up.

Donatello glared at his brother. " I'm not even going to waste my breath on you." He moved around Leonardo and waited for Michelangelo at the doorway.

"Dude," Michelangelo shook his head as he walked past Leonardo and went back outside with Donatello. Leonardo then realized he was all alone, and that's when the tears he had been holding back began to fall down his face.

He slumped down onto the couch and placed his face into his hands. He sobbed uncontrollably for what seemed like forever before lowering his hands. He gasped and jump slightly as he discovered Angie was knelt down on the floor in front of him.

" It's okay, Leo. I'm not here to yell at you," She reassured him, as if she could read his thoughts. She reached up and grabbed his left hand, then dropped a small object into his palm, and Leonardo could tell from its smooth texture it was a stone. He studied the black symbol on the brown stone, which resembled the fork of a peace sign, then looked back up into Angie's eyes.

" It's a Rune." Angie said. " It's name is Algiz. It's for your protection."

"Protection from what?" Leonardo asked as he snuffled back more tears.

" You will see." Angie then grabbed both of Leonardo's hands and lower her head, then began to chant.

_I am protected by your might, O gracious Goddess, day and night_

_Thrice around the circle's bound, Evil sink into the ground._

Angie again repeated the chant two more times, then stood up. Leonardo felt his tears dry up, and the blanket of fog began to lift from his drunken eyes.

" How did you know that?" Leonardo asked as he continued to hold onto Angie. " That's a Wiccan protection spell."

Angie smiled and seemed a little shock. " I think the question really is, how do _you_ know that?"

Leonardo lowered his eyes, then searched around in his head to find the answer. _How did I know that? I've never studied the occult._

_You would be surprised by what you can learn when you open your mind to the world around you._

Leonardo's eyes shot back up to Angie as her words echoed in his brain. She smiled at him, then pulled him to his feet.

" Now, go and rest your body. You spirit needs time to heal." She kissed him gently on the forehead then movedto the doorway.

" Angie,"

She turned and looked at Leonardo.

" Thank you."

Angie smiled. " Do not thank me. Thank the stars above for helping me find you. Fate brought me here to help you." She started to turn away, but then looked back. " Remember Leo, you may be able to make the little choices in your lifetime, but it is a higher power that controls the big picture." Then, Angie was gone.

Leonardo looked back down into his palm and stared into the stone. He then suddenly felt very tired, and he headed up the stairs and down the hallway to his room. He opened the door, closed it behind him, then sat on the edge of his bed with his back to the door. His eyes became heavier as sleep finally took over his body and he laid down, curling himself into a fetal position and held on tightly to the Rune stone that still rested in his left palm. He closed his eyes and dove into the deepest sleep he had ever experienced, and that is where he remained for the next three days.


	14. Chapter Twelve: Day One

Chapter Twelve:

Day One

_I don't know how I got here. I just remember waking up on this cold ground that I'm now standing on. I can't see anything either. It's completely black all around me. A chill has settled in my body, then I realize I'm no longer clothed. Which is fine by me, I did spend half of my life like this before the surface laws were made. The chill in my body is causing my muscles to spasm and ache, and I would love nothing more than to move. The only problem is that I can't. Some unknown force is keeping me still, and I'm starting to really get upset._ _Another shiver travels down my spine and I curl my arms around my chest. As if that was going to keep me warm. As my youngest brother once said: It sucks to be cold blooded._

Leonardo!

_I looked around in the darkness, trying to find the source of the voice who had just spoken my name. It was very familiar, but my mind is so foggy that I can't seem to place it._

Leonardo, come join me.

_Splinter. It was the voice of my sensei, my father. I hear a noise from behind me and I turn to see a bright white light shining down, as if someone had turned on a spotlight. There under the light is where I found my master, seated in a lotus position, with his head bowed and his hands resting on his knees. His walking stick was beside of him._

_Whatever it was that had held me still was now lifted, and I was able to walk toward Splinter. When I could see the whites of his old eyes, I stopped and bowed. I looked up and waited for him to do the same, which he did, then I sat down in front of him and also assumed the lotus position. The chills in my body continued as I spoke._

Where are we, sensi? _I was shocked to find that my words came from my head instead of from my mouth. I watched as my master spoke, noticing his mouth remained shut as well._

Do you not recognize this place, my son?

_I looked around, again seeing nothing but darkness. _I'm sorry, master. I don't know. _And I was again shocked by his answer._

We are deep within your subconscious mind, my son.

_I narrowed my eyes in disbelief. How could that even be possible? Splinter may have the years of experience in ninja mind manipulation, being able to enter the mind of your enemy with your soul, but I certainly didn't! I was good at seeing the truth among the lies in one's voice and eyes, but entering the mind as he had was completely beyond my training!_

I don't understand, sensi. How did _I _get here?

_He said nothing at first, and I could see he was thinking. Did he even know? I was beginning to think he didn't._

You are not who you seem. The Leonardo before me is not my son, but only the anger and hatred that has collected inside of him over the years. I am determined to defeat you.

_What? How could my master say such a thing? __He is right in front of me! Can he not see that I am the same as before? I felt another shiver, and a sudden twisting pain grabbing into my chest. Why does it hurt like that? Why am I so cold?_

It will take a lot of time for you to heal, my son. I hope you will make the wise decision and let me help you in the venture.

_I turn my head away in confusion. Time to heal? Anger? Hatred? What is going on? As I look back at Splinter, I gasp as I realize he has disappeared. I jump to my feet, trying my best to peer into the darkness, hoping to find a sign of him. I just don't understand! What is happening?_

Open your mind, and open your heart. Please. Let me help you.

_That wasn't Splinter. That voice was female. The light over my head disappears, and I am again covered in shadow._ _I grab my head as another sharp pain courses through it. Nothing is making sense! Why won't someone help me understand? _

Be strong. The pain will go away. You must open your mind. You must open your heart.

_I hear another sound. A rustle, of fabric, perhaps? The smell of sandlewood enters my nose as another light shines in front of me._

Hello, Leo. I'm glad you came to join us. Please, sit with me.

_I recognize her. It's Angelina. Her long brown hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and her face is clean of makeup. She is dressed in a long dark green robe. The smell of sandlewood grows stronger as I walk toward her, and I then see the incense burning away next to her. I again sit down, and she lifts her eyes to me. I start to ask her how she got here, but it seems she can read my thoughts._

I told you Fate had brought me here. Even though what you see before you is just your mind creating an illusion, I'm here because I was told by my great grandmother that I would find a creature with a lost soul and help him fight his way back to attain the one thing that he needs the most in life.

_And that might be?_

Love.

_I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Love? You have got to be kidding me! I start to laugh at Angie, and I can see the hurt in her eyes. Love. What a ridiculous concept! The only thing love ever did for me was make me dead inside._

Leonardo, please. I can see the pain you carry and how hurt you are-

_How could you? No one can see the pain I carry! This is all just some drunken nightmare that I'm experiencing_ _and any minute now I'll be waking up and running to the bathroom to puke my guts out! Angie shakes her head at me._

We knew this would happen. We knew you would not open up to us. And you won't be able to wake up. The Rune I gave you was for your protection, Leo. But it was protection against yourself. I also place a spell on you to make you sleep for three days. You will not be able to wake yourself unless we deem you ready.

_I can not believe what I'm hearing! Have I finally gone completely insane? My laughter grew louder as I rose to my feet and I staggered into the darkness. I hear Angie's voice again as the light fades away._

That was your only chance, Leo. Now I am afraid that we must do this the hard way.

_I shake my head as her voice fades away. This has been one hell of a nightmare! God, I hope I wake up soon. But wait, do I really want to wake up? I can't face everyone, not after what I did. I have turned my family and friends against me. I feel tears in my eyes suddenly and the weight that I carry in my chest bares down on me even more. I fall to my knees and bury my face in my hands. I have no one to turn to, no one who cares. The sadness within me pulls me down to the ground and I curl into ball as my sobbing grows. How could I do this? Why did I let things go so far? I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Someone, please. Please help me._

It's too late. No one is going to help you, so stop crying and get up!

_My eyes shoot open. I didn't need to guess who that voice belonged to. __I bring myself to a sitting position and blink my eyes several times, trying to believe what they were showing me._

Get up! If this is what I have become, I'm glad I went into hiding! I can't even show my face again after what you did!

_A green hand reaches down, and I hold on as the owner of the hand pulls me up. I stare in amazement as my own eyes stared back at me from under my blue mask. I can also see the handles of my swords sticking out. It was me, a younger me. A much stronger spirited form of myself that was who I once was. I watched myself as I crossed my arms and shook my head._

I still don't see how you got this far. I figured I would have had some sort of rational thought as to what I was doing. All of this over something that could have been forgotten! Something that was so small and inconceivably stupid! You may not have realized it at the time, but I _was_ thankful that she saved us! She risked her life for all of us!. And you also know that you made that choice to save her as well. Saki could have ended her life at that very moment, and at least you let me through to save her.

_Okay, now I know I've gone insane! I standing here, listening to _MYSELF_! What right does he have to yell at me, anyway? He's just a kid! Just a stupid, naive nineteen year old who thinks he knows everything! So what if she did save us? And so what if I saved her? It still does not excuse the fact that she went behind my back, went against my word, and put herself in the middle of something that she didn't belong in! Then after all of that, she told she loved me! How can you betray someone that you care so deeply for? You can't toss a feeling that strong around when you deceive someone!_

Stop thinking with your head and think with your heart for once. You will see things more clearly if you do.

_And just like that, I, well, that part of me, was gone, and the darkness came back. I still don't see any sense in this. Why can't I snap out of this crazy dream? I have to find a way out of here. A bright red light shines in the distance. It looks to be the size of a golf ball, and it slowly splits up and becomes two red lights. As I stare at them, they start to take the shape of a pair of eyes, and they are moving closer to me. I hear the sound of metal scraping metal as the eyes move closer. My heighten ninja senses pick up on an evil presence, but I feel defenseless and vulnerable. I feel something warm splash against my toes and run down the side of my feet. I can't see what it is, but as the smell of death and decay fill the air, I knew instantly it was blood._

_A familiar ominous laugh echoes through my head, and I knew in an instance that my old enemy had come back. I take a step back and feel something squish beneath my foot._

_The blood. It's everywhere.

* * *

_

Michelangelo was starting to believe that life couldn't be better! Not only had he gotten some great news from his coworkers at Comic World ( all two thousand copies of his comic sold out in a day!), but at that moment he was standing inside of a crowded Tower Records store watching his favorite pop star dance and sing her heart out on a makeshift stage. Samantha, who was also a huge fan of Mandy, was bouncing to the music on Michelangelo's shoulders and clapping her hands. Both of their voices joined in with the hundreds of other fans that were crammed into the small store. Yes, for the twenty one year old mutant turtle, life could not be any better.

Suddenly the front doors where thrown open and the sound of gunfire erupted over the crowd. Everyone fell to the floor as five black clad men carrying machine guns entered the building. One of them, a huge muscular mutant tiger, began shouting orders to his men in a foreign language that Michelangelo couldn't identify. As the four gunmen began to herd the crowd farther back into the store, a black van pulled up in front of the store and five more black clad gunmen jumped out. The tiger pointed toward the stage, were Mandy was huddled with her backup dancers and her manager, and the gunmen raced to them and grabbed the pop star right out of her dancers' hands. Michelangelo's eyes widen as he watched them silence the singer's screams by striking her in the head with the butt end of a gun, then drag her unconscious body outside to the van.

"Uncle Mikey," Samantha whispered through her tears. " You gotta do something!"

Michelangelo lowered Samantha down to the ground slowly and handed her his cell phone. " Call Uncle Raph. Tell him what happened and stay here until he comes." Samantha nodded her head, then ducked behind a rack of CDs. Michelangelo then pushed himself through the throngs of crying teenage girls toward the fire exit.

Once outside, he pulled himself up a fire escape to the top of a neighboring building. He could see the van swerving though the downtown Manhattan traffic with several police cruisers tailing it, and he knew that if hurried, he could cut them off near Central Park.

As soon as he began running, Michelangelo could feel a stinging ache creep up his legs, and he cursed himself for not listening to Splinter's warning of keeping up with his exercises. Every step he took, Michelangelo felt waves of pain flowing into his calf muscles and he gritted his teeth as he continued to race across the rooftops.

Once he neared the park, Michelangelo came to a stop, and pulled off his dirty, worn out Nikes. He sighed in relief as he wiggled his toes around, then looked over the edge. Just as he had thought, the van turned a corner and was headed right for him. After he counted to three, he jumped down from the five story building and landed with a loud thud onto the van's roof. Michelangelo laughed as the van swayed, and he guessed he must have scared the driver. But his laughter was cut short as bullets began to tear through the roof. Michelangelo pushed his body into a handstand, then braced himself as he crashed he feet into the windshield. He grabbed the driver and the gunman in the passenger seat with his bloody toes and threw their heads together. The mutant tiger screamed out from the back and his men began to fire their guns again, but they suddenly flew backwards as the van crashed through a few parked cars and into the side of a building.

Michelangelo, who had jumped from the van before it crashed, flung open the back doors, and found that most of the gunmen had been knocked out. Their leader had not, and Michelangelo jumped back as the mutant tiger came at him with his long claws extended. The tiger grabbed onto Michelangelo's left arm and flung the turtle into the side of the van. Michelangelo shook his head and tried to get back up, but felt a sudden fire rip through his arm. He looked down and noticed the fresh half inch gash that sat just below his elbow, and watched as the blood slowly dripped down onto the street.

"Man, did you just make a mistake," Michelangelo growled as he stood back up. The tiger narrowed his eyes at the turtle.

" Oh, you think so?" The tiger growled back. Michelangelo then realized the accent the tiger spoke in was German. " I believe you are the one who has made the mistake. You have no idea what you have gotten involved in."

"Why don't you just give up now and hand over the girl before I get really upset." Michelangelo took another step, suddenly wishing he still carried his nunchucks with him.

" Never." The tiger said through his clenched teeth. "Her DNA is worth more than you know. I will not give her up without a fight."

Michelangelo raised an eyebrow. _Her DNA?_ _What the heck?_ He turned back around and looked into the back of the van. Mandy was still unconscious and the blood from the cut in her head was mixing into her dark blonde hair. Michelangelo felt his blood boil and he turned back to the mutant tiger. Gathering up all of his energy, Michelangelo ran toward the tiger, and just as the tiger took another swing at him, he did a handspring and flipped over the tiger's head. The tiger was about to turn around when he felt Michelangelo's foot bust into his jaw line, and the crowd that had gather around them heard the sickening crunch of bone. The tiger fell to his knees and screamed in pain, then watched helplessly as the turtle pulled the girl from the van and sling her over his shoulder.

Michelangelo headed back down the street, holding onto the singer's limp body with his right arm and tried to ignore the searing pain in his left arm. He turned into an empty alley and stopped in front of a manhole cover. He bent down to remove it when he suddenly realized what he was doing.

" Duh, Mikey. You don't live down there any more." He laughed at himself as he stood back up. The sound of screeching tires caused Michelangelo to jump, fearing that the mutant tiger had some how managed to get the van started. The horn of the vehicle sounded and Michelangelo sighed in relief as he heard a familiar voice.

"Come on, you idiot! Hurry up!"

Michelangelo turned and smiled at the sight of Raphael, Vanessa and Samantha sitting in his brother's Mustang. Vanessa opened the door, then gasped at the girl that was slung over Michelangelo's shoulder, the gash in his arm and the dried blood that covered his bare feet.

" Good God! What happened?" She asked as she held onto the girl as Michelangelo slid into the back seat and took Mandy into his lap.

" It's a long story. We gotta get her to our house."

" No way, Mikey!" Raphael grumbled. " We're takin her to a hospital. You guys are gettin blood all over my leather seats!"

Vanessa sneered her fangs at Raphael. " Can't you show just a _little_ compassion every now and then?"

" We can't take her to a hospital, Raph. She's got people after her and they'll find her there." Michelangelo looked into his brother's eyes through the rear view mirror and pleaded silently with them.

" The things I do around here." Raphael sighed heavily and put the car in drive.


	15. Chapter Thirteen:Day Two

Chapter Thirteen:

Day Two

I don't know how long I've been running. Everything looks the same when you're in the dark. Hell, I can even tell if I'm going anywhere! Those red eyes are still behind me, but they seem to be fading away. I stop myself and begin to wonder why I've been running in the first place. The Shredder is gone. Dead. Why am I running from someone who is no longer here?

_Then I see the black that sits around me is fading into red, then into orange. I can see dirt beneath my feet, and a cool breeze passes across my face. My eyes focus in the light and I gasped as I realize I was standing in the middle of downtown New York City. The buildings that surround me are broken and decayed; the streets are cracked. That's when I see something else. I'm once again clothed, but in the Mutant Militia_ _uniform I had once donned. I feel the wind catch the tendrils of my face mask, and the weight of my katanas on my back. Wasn't I here before? I've been in this nightmare. I know what happens next._

_The ground beneath my feet begins to shake. I close my eyes and brace myself against a power poll as the shaking increases. The Earth opens up into a gapping crater_ _and a dark figure rises out of the escaping steam. As I open my eyes, I expected to find the Shredder before me, but it was Splinter instead._

Sensi?

_He said nothing back to me, and I stared blankly at him. He was levitating over the open hole, and his eyes were glowing red. I then knew that it was not my master._

_Before I could reach for my swords, he flew at me and knocked me to the ground. I laid stunned for a second, then forced myself to my feet, my body feeling like it was weighed down by lead. I grabbed the handles of my swords, and as I yanked them out of their scabbards, I began to wonder why they felt more light than normal. Evil laughter from the floating being above me rang out as I look at the empty handles that sat in my hands. I could feel my anger growing inside of me as I threw down the blade-less handles to the ground and ripped the scabbards off of my back in frustration._

_The laughter from the being grew louder, and I could feel my blood boiling. Why was this creature tormenting me? It suddenly changed form, becoming nothing more than a black mass, and it once again charged at me, knocking me back down before I could react. What is wrong with me? My skills are the best they've ever been, and yet I still find myself on the ground. It took me longer to regain my footing this time, and I suddenly felt very tired. Was that thing, whatever it is, draining my energy? I studied it closely as it floated above me, and it had seemed like it grew in size. _

We are deep within your subconscious mind, my son.

_I recalled what Splinter had said to me. If that statement was true, then I should be able to defeat this thing. But how? I have nothing to stop it with. _

The anger and hatred that has collected inside of you over the years...

_I lifted my eyes back up. Is that what that thing is? Is that why I can feel it drain away my energy? Splinter always told us that anger and hate would eat away at your soul and leave nothing but an emptiness inside of you._

Open your heart...

_Is that what has happened to me? Did I do the one thing he said to never do? Did I let my anger toward Linda kill me inside? I watched as the black mass started to spin around like a tornado, and it came smashing down to the ground._

Think with your heart for once...

_As the cloud of dust settled around me, the black mass that had crash into the ground had taken another shape. I could feel a sudden chill creep over me as the figure stood upright and look at me with her large brown eyes. Her long black hair caught the passing breeze and it whipped around her face, and I lower my eyes down to the sword in her hand. The rubies in the dragon's eyes shone brightly, and the long black and red ribbons wrapped around her as they blew in the wind. I could feel an ache in my heart, and as she moved closer to me, all I could do was say her name._

Linda...

* * *

_Man, what the hell am I doin' here? I must be insane!_

Raphael shoved his finger into the white doorbell again and heard the chimes echo within the house.

_Geez, even the freakin' doorbell is gold, _he thought as he studied the paneling around the button. _This guy must think he's King Midas or somethin'._

As he crossed his arms over his chest and impatiently tapped his foot, Raphael began to think about the way Vanessa had sounded over the phone, and why it was so important that he drive all the way into Queens just for her to talk to him. Vanessa's voice was all jumpy with excitement, and even if he didn't admit it to himself, Raphael knew her secret was killing him.

After another minute, a housemaid opened the door and apologized to Raphael for taking so long. He nodded in response and entered the foyer of the house, once again seeing the gold that trim the white walls of the mansion. Raphael scoffed at the decor, then followed the housemaid to the living room. After whistling at the immense size of it, Raphael guessed he could easily fit the house he and his brothers shared in the room and still have space for a good sized lawn.

" I will go and tell Vanessa you have arrived." The housemaid then quickly disappeared from sight. Raphael thought about taking a seat on the white and gold couch, but decided against it, figuring that it worth more than his old Mustang. He then began to wonder around, looking at all of the paintings and various pieces of art that were scattered here and there.

_What is up_ _with rich people? __Everythin' has to be big and expensive. _

He glanced up at a painting that sat above the enormous fireplace. The painting was of a wheat field that seemed to be blowing in a breeze, and the sky above the field depicted a sunset. But, to Raphael, it was like a kid had taken a paint can and splashed the paint on the canvas. He shook his head in disgust and turned back to the open doorway.

"Raph! You're here!" Vanessa walked up to the turtle and threw her arms around him. Raphael could smell the scent of orchids rising from her fur and figured that she must have been outside in her garden. As he pulled away, Raphael then saw the huge smile that was spread across Vanessa's face.

"Where's Mister Money bags?" Raphael asked without offering a 'hello'.

Vanessa rolled her eyes and sighed. " He had to go to Florida for some business meeting with his father. He just left about an hour ago."

" Now what was so big that I had to waste gas on?" Raphael asked as Vanessa pulled him over to the couch he had passed up earlier.

"Okay," Vanessa took a deep breath as they sat down. " Remember the other day when Angie did that Tarot reading on me?"

Raphael suddenly felt uneasy. " Yeah?"

"And do you remember what she said about a marriage proposal?"

He then felt his heart fall to his feet as he braced himself. " Yeah."

"Guess what!" Vanessa squealed as she shoved her hand into Raphael's face. He brought his eyes slowly done to the three carat princess cut diamond ring that sat snugly on Vanessa left ring finger. " Chad asked me to marry him this morning! Isn't that great!"

As she pulled her hand back and admired the ring, Raphael dropped his eyes to the floor, and instantly felt his fallen heart break into a million pieces. He sighed heavily as he buried his face into his hands and rubbed at his eyes, refusing to let any tears fall.

"Raph?"

He pulled his hands down quickly as he felt Vanessa's hand on his shoulder.

" Are you okay?"

Raphael looked into her eyes for only a second, then turned away. " Yeah, I'm fine. I, I uh, I gotta go." He stood up and headed for the doorway. Vanessa jumped over the back of the couch and stood in Raphael's way.

" What's wrong with you?" Vanessa said as she pushed Raphael back into the living room. " I thought you would be happy for me."

Raphael couldn't stand her brown eyes staring at him, and he darted his own eyes around as he talked. " No, I am. I just remember I got shit to do, so we'll talk later, 'kay?" He again tried to leave, but once again felt Vanessa's hand push him back.

"Okay, what gives? Why are you acting so funny? And why won't you look at me?"

Raphael was becoming agitated with Vanessa's third degree. " Nothing, okay!" His voice rose in anger. " I just have stuff to do, so if you don't mind-" He pushed her hand away, then noticed the anger in her face.

" Yes, I do mind!" Vanessa yelled back. " Why are you being an ass about this? I thought you would happy for me, and yet you act like you don't give a shit!" She lowered her voice a little when she noticed the housemaid pass by. " I know you can't stand Chad, but you don't know how much he has changed."

Raphael took a deep breath and calmed himself. " It's not about that, all right? I do care. I just- I just don't wanna have this conversation right now."

Vanessa then pushed him back farther into the living room, refusing to let go of the front of his T-shirt. " What conversation? What are you taking about? Tell me."

" I just-I-I" Raphael stammered, wanting to bite his tongue, but at the same time wanting to confess to Vanessa the secret he had been carrying for the past two years.

"You what?" Vanessa asked, her voice laced with impatience.

"Aw, forget it!" Raphael threw his hands into the air and moved around Vanessa. " I ain't good with this talkin' shit!"

"Raph-" Vanessa started but was cut short by as Raphael turned around sharply to face her.

" No!" He yelled as he reached his boiling point. " I'm done with this! Just go back to your happy little existence with Chad and everythin' will be fine and dandy, just like before!"

Vanessa's mouth dropped open in disbelief, feeling Raphael words stinging in her brain. She couldn't understand with he was being so hateful toward her, and instead of feeling sad, his words only brought out Vanessa's own bad temper.

" Fine by me! I was only trying to share the best news of my life with my best friend, but you obviously don't give a shit about _my_ happiness! You are such a selfish asshole and I -"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YA!" Raphael blurted out, then he took in another deep breath. " There, I said it. Happy now?"

Vanessa stood silently, her eyes wide with shock, and she then dropped back onto the couch. Raphael moved back around the couch and stood in front of Vanessa, watching as her mouth as she tried to speak.

" You're- in love with me?" Vanessa's mouth finally formed the words she was thinking of. " How- how long have you felt this way?"

Raphael didn't responded right away. He was still replaying his own words in his head. He felt a little relieved, but at the same time he wished he would have had better control of his emotions and not let his words come out so harsh. Raphael then sat down next to Vanessa on the couch.

" A long time," He voice was very low as he spoke. " I just didn't know how to tell ya. Or _when_ to tell ya. You were just so hung up on Chad, I just-" He then stopped talking when he felt Vanessa's cold stare burning into him.

"How dare you."

Raphael felt confused. " What!"

"How could you do this to me!" Vanessa jumped up from the couch and moved away from Raphael. " Why now? Today, of all days! WHY! How could you do this to me?" She then felt tears welling up in her eyes.

Raphael then once again pulled his defenses back up and he yelled back his response. " Why does it matter to you anyway! I thought you loved that-that- pansy ass and his money!"

Vanessa's jaw dropped again. " Don't you dare call him that! Chad is a great guy, and I don't give a rip about how much money he has!" She then moved back to Raphael and stepped up into his face. " Is that why you think I'm with him?"

Raphael leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest and snorted in response, which made Vanessa even crazier.

" I cannot believe you think I am that shallow!" She brought her hands up to her face as the tears started to fall. " I just can't believe you. You're such a jerk, and I don't understand why I ever had feelings for you." Vanessa then gasped as she realized what she had just said, and the look of shock on Raphael's face proved what she had done.

" What?" Raphael's voice cracked as he blinked his eyes in disbelief. " You had feelings for me?" He then looked into Vanessa's tear filled eyes and knew her words were true. " Well, isn't this great? Now what do we do?"

Vanessa sniffed and narrowed her eyes. " We?" She swiped at her eyes again and started to laugh. " 'WE' are nothing, okay? There is NEVER going to a 'WE'! I'm going to marry Chad, and live happily ever after! Now, would you please leave!"

Raphael watched as Vanessa turned her back to him, and he could hear her sobs increasing, but his temper was already pushed to its limit, and he continued to speak without thinking.

" Yeah, I see how it is. Money makes your little happy world go around, and since I ain't got it, you can't be with me."

Vanessa didn't turn around, but Raphael could see her hands bunch into fists and his ears picked up the sound of her teeth clenching.

" Do I think you're shallow? No. I'm just startin' to think that you're a greedy,"

" Stop it." Vanessa whispered.

" Little,"

" Stop," her voice rose a little more.

" Bitch!"

" STOP!" Vanessa screamed, then turned and lunged at Raphael, her balled up fist meeting the exact spot where Leonardo had punched him days before.

" What the fuck is up with everyone punchin' me in the fuckin' jaw!" Raphael yelled in pain and staggered backwards, grabbing at his face, and bringing his eyes up to Vanessa's face. Her chest rose and fell very fast; her fists still sat in tight balls. She said nothing, only held her gaze with Raphael's blank stare. The silence that filled the air was deafening to Raphael, and it seemed to go on forever.

As he held his eyes to hers, Raphael finally noticed Vanessa's demeanor changing. Her face relaxed, as did her tense body, and he watched as her hands uncurled. He looked back into her eyes where the anger had disappeared and fear had taken its place. It was in that moment that Raphael felt something stir inside of him, and he realized he wanted Vanessa more than ever.

" Raph," Vanessa whimpered. " I'm sorry."

Before she could finish her apology, Vanessa suddenly felt herself wrapped in Raphael's strong arms and his lips firmly against hers. She panicked at first and wanted to push him away, but his kiss became deeper and more passionate, and Vanessa melted right into him. Raphael's lips then traveled down her neck to her collarbone and she tightened her claws into his shoulders. As she began to pull Raphael up the stairs, a low growl echoed up Vanessa's throat as she spoke.

" God, you are such an ass."

Later that evening, Raphael bolted upright and tried to regain his breath from the horrible dream he had just experienced. He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, then started to focus around the room, which he knew right away didn't belong to him. Raphael then realized what had happened. He looked over at Vanessa, who was silently sleeping next to him, and he smiled as he recalled the long hours of lovemaking they had endured. He stroked her wavy auburn hair, then looked away as the tears welled up in his eyes. He loved Vanessa more than life itself, but Raphael knew he couldn't give her the life she wanted, and it pained him greatly.

"I'm sorry Vanessa," He bent down and kiss her on the forehead. " I just can't do this."

Raphael slowly slipped out of Vanessa's bed and dressed, then turned around and looked at her sleeping form once more before walking out the door, and out of her life.


	16. Chapter Fourteen: Day Three

Chapter Fourteen

Day Three

_My mouth couldn't form any other words. I just kept repeating her name over and over in my head. She was only inches from me now. Her pale skin shined brightly under the red and orange sky, and the scent of hibiscus flowers floated on the wind. She was so young, so beautiful. That is how I remembered her; that is how she looked the day she left me. I wanted to touch her face so badly, my fingertips started to ache. I tried with all of my might to lift my hands, but I couldn't. I lowered my eyes to the ground, and I felt too ashamed to look at her anymore. _

_Another passing breeze made me lift my head, and I could see the scenery around me had once again changed. We were away from the city, sitting on the vast green hillsides where Linda had taken Saki's life. She sat across from me, her head was bowed, and her palms were pressed together. I did the same, and we lifted our heads back up and stared into each other's eyes, and I could feel my mouth begin to move._

How did you find me here?

_She blinked her long eyelashes a few times. _You do not know?

_I shook my head in response._

I've been here. This is where I have been staying. Locked away in the back of your mind.

_I felt confused once more. _I don't understand. If you have been here all along, why didn't you find me before this?

_She lowered her head. _You didn't want me to. I've had to fight my way through the darkness to come here. You hold a lot of hatred against me.

_I too lowered my eyes to the ground, feeling shameful again. The ache I had felt in my chest began to start_, _and I suddenly felt completely disgusted with her. She was the one who turned against us! She was the one who joined the Foot! She was the one let Shredder take the life of her father! She told me she loved me, then she betrayed me. And that hurts me more than anything._

Leonardo, please!

_I look back up at her, and I can feel the fire burning in my eyes._

I never meant for things to happen like they did. I wanted to help. I just wanted -

What about what I wanted? I wanted us to be together! I wanted you to always be at my side! _I could feel the ache in my heart increase, and the pain shot through my body. _I just wanted to love you! Was that too much to ask! _I buried my eyes into my palms as tears flooded my eyes._

I was so hurt by what you had done to me! I wanted to forget everything, but I couldn't! I couldn't because I loved you. And now because of my heartless actions, not only did I lose you, I lost myself. I don't even know who I am anymore!

_I could hear my cries echo around me, but I could not stop my tears from falling._

I felt so alive when I was with you, and now I'm dead inside. I wished every day that I would die just so I wouldn't have to feel the pain in my heart. I want to feel alive again! I want things to be good again. Please-

_I then heard myself say the words I had been hearing in my dreams for years, realizing only now that they had been from my own lips._

Please, Linda. Please don't hate me for what I have done. I love you. I love you.

_The tears flowed out through my hands like water running down a fall. I don't ever recall crying so much in my life. I soon felt the pain ease up and as I lifted my head back up, the ruby eyes of the dragon were staring back at me. As my wet eyes went farther up, Splinter and Angie were standing before me. I closed my eyes, and I felt a calm rush over me. My head was clear. My spirit was strong. I was reborn. All of the hate and anger I had held inside of me was gone, and I smiled, which is something I haven't done in a long time. I opened my eyes and stood up, looking around at the light blue that surrounded us. I bent down and retrieved the sword, remembering how it had burned my hands in my dreams. Angie smiled and pointed as a small child with long black hair rushed up to me. I placed to the sword into her open hands, and I placed a kiss on the top of her head. She smiled back, then slowly vanished as she ran away._

_I turned back to Splinter and Angie, and bowed to them. I don't know if I would have made it back if not for them, and I will be forever grateful. They, in turn, bowed to me, then also slowly disappeared into nothing._

_I sat back down and placed my palms together, preparing myself to wake up. I now know what I must do. I must fix what I have broken. My brothers need me back in their life, and I need Linda back in mine.

* * *

_

Donatello didn't know what to do. He was standing in front of Angie's apartment door, and he couldn't decide if he should knock, or turn around and walk back down the stairs. It had been three days since they had spoken, and during that time, Donatello had done a lot of thinking.

The night of the barbecue, Leonardo had locked himself into his bedroom, and no one had even bothered checking on him. Raphael made it very clear that he didn't care anymore, and Michelangelo was too busy taking care of his pop star patient. Only Donatello was starting to worry about the state of his oldest brother, and was beginning to think that Angie had been right.

Leonardo had been reaching out to them for so long, and they had been a few years too late. Leonardo had hit rock bottom, and Donatello seemed to be the only one who could feel the strain between him and his brothers. Leonardo had been their rock, the one who had kept them together, and without him, Donatello knew the family was falling apart.

He took a deep breath, then brought his closed fist to the door, only to jump back in surprise as Angie appeared.

"Don," she said with a tired sigh. Donatello stared into her face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

" Have you been getting any sleep lately?" He asked, feeling very concerned, but held back the urge of holding Angie in his arms.

Angie replied by shaking her head, then walked away from the door, leaving it open. Donatello hesitated at first, but then slowly walked in and closed the door behind him. He found Angie sitting on the couch with her cat Charlie in her lap. His loud purr bounced around in the small apartment as Angie stroked his fur. Angie looked up, then back down at the cat.

" Sorry, I'll go put him in my room," She started to stand up, but Donatello raised up his open palms.

" No need to. I took an antihistamine before I came over." He moved over to the coffee table and sat down on it, then looked into Angie's tired eyes. " Look, I need to apologize about the other night. It was wrong of me to yell at you like I did."

" Don, you don't have to do this." Angie lowered her head.

" Yes, I do." Donatello then took Angie's hands into his. "Leo has been falling apart right before our eyes, and we just thought that he could pull himself out of it, like he always does. We just never knew how bad he had become, and now, well, now I feel guilty about it all."

Angie sighed again, and let out the yawn she had been holding in. " Please don't feel guilty, Don. You didn't know. But Leo is fine now. You'll see him tomorrow."

Donatello pulled back and let go of Angie's hands. " What? How do you know that?"

Angie placed Charlie down onto the tan colored carpeting and watched as the cat jumped up to the windowsill. She then moved over and patted the couch cushion, motioning for Donatello to join her.

"How long have we known each other?" She asked as she took Donatello's hands back into hers.

" Two months, eight days and," He glanced down at his watch. " And twenty two hours."

Angie couldn't help but laugh. " Okay. But anyway, how much do you really know about me?"

Donatello rubbed his chin with his left hand. " I know your middle name is Calista, which means 'most beautiful one' in Greek."

Angie blushed a little. " What else?"

"Your favorite movie is The Labyrinth, because you are also a huge David Bowie fan."

Angie's smile grew a little more. " Go on."

" You hate Oriental food, but you like sushi." He said as he stuck out his tongue. " Your favorite flavor of ice cream is mint chocolate chip only because you like the color green. You love watching the sunset, taking walks in the park, and you hate to clean your apartment."

Laughter again came from Angie's mouth. " And?"

" You broke your big toe when you were five. You graduated high school a year early. And on a dare, you once ate an entire bowl of raw cake batter for ten dollars."

"Anything else?"

" Oh, and your astrological sign is Pisces."

Angie laughed harder at Donatello's last comment, then shook her head. " You really do know a lot about me, don't you?"

"As much as you have told me, anyway." Donatello shrugged.

Angie nodded then began to bite on her lower lip. "Well, there is something else I need to tell you,"

Donatello felt a little wary, but then he squeezed Angie's hands. " What is it?"

"You remember when I told you that my family has psychic abilities, right?" Angie watched as Donatello nodded, then continued. "Well, there is a lot more it than that." She released Donatello's hands and moved over to her small bookcase. When she returned to the couch, Donatello noticed she had a Greek Mythology book in her hands.

"You've heard of Circe, right?"

Donatello thought back to his childhood when he had read the book _The Odyssey_ by Homer. " Yeah, she was a witch. She transformed Odyssues' men into pigs, and he then stayed with her for a year so he could learn how to defeat the Sirens and the monster Scylla."

Angie nodded as she turned to the page in her book and handed it to Donatello. " That's right. She was also the daughter of the sun God Helios, and she poisoned her husband so she could escape him."

Donatello read over the short description, then looked back up at Angie. " Right. So, what does this have to do with you?"

" Not everything in the world of mythology is entirely myth, Don," She lifted the pages to the very back cover of the book, then turned it around so Donatello could see what she was pointing at. "This is my family tree."

Donatello first found Angie's name, along the names of her three brothers, two sisters and her parents. Above them were the names of her grandparents, then great grandparents, and so on. He noticed that the dates kept going farther and farther back until they reached a period of time that made his nerves jump.

" Ang, this goes back to four hundred B.C.! How can this even be possible?" Donatello asked, making Angie very aware of the shock in his voice.

" Circe was a real witch, Don. She actually existed. My family is directly descended from her bloodline."

Donatello closed the book and handed it back to Angie. " That's impossible!"

" Just listen. When Circe killed her husband, she fled to the island of Aeaea, where, like you said, she met Odysseus. But she had other men that came to that island. And one of them was a creature that was half cat and half man."

Donatello's eyes grew. " A mutant?"

Angie nodded. " Yes. He had extraordinary mental powers, and together, they passed down their abilities to their children, who passed it onto their children, and so on. Their blood flows through my veins."

Donatello couldn't believe what he was hearing. " This, this is just, SO over my head, it's not even funny! But what does this have to do with my brother?"

"Years ago, when I was seven, my great-grandmother, who was a gypsy with a very strong psychic mind, told me that Fate had chosen me to save the broken spirit of a creature who was in great pain."

"A _turtle_ creature?" Donatello interrupted.

"Yes. And for years, I thought that she was crazy, until I came into my power when I was thirteen, and I too had visions of the creature. I could feel a great sadness radiating from him, and I had made it my quest in life to find him."

Angie sighed as she saw the disbelief in Donatello's eyes, but she continued on.

" When I met you, I thought I had found the one I was looking for, but I couldn't see anything there. It was when I met Leo that I knew he was the one. For the past three days, I have been aiding your father in helping Leo regain his spirit." She grabbed Donatello's hands and held them tightly. " Don't you see? Fate put us together so that I could help Leo."

Donatello took a deep breath and relaxed his body as she placed her open palm against his cheek.

"But Fate never told me that I would fall in love with you." She smiled as Donatello did, then brought her lips to his and kissed him softly. When she pulled back, she could see the flush that spread across Donatello's face.

"So, you're sure that Leo's okay now?" he asked as he brushed Angie's hair behind her ears.

"I promise."

Donatello again smiled and shook his head. " That still amazes me about that whole story with your family. I never thought of you as being a mutant."

"We have more in common than you thought we did." Angie returned Donatello's smile. " Speaking of mutants," Angie then rose off the couch, walked over to the kitchen, then came back to the couch with a magazine.

"There is an article in this that I thought you would have interest in." She handed the magazine down to Donatello as he read the cover.

"_Scientific Discoveries. _Splinter used to bring this home for me when I was a kid." He flipped the pages back to where Angie had folded over the corner, and read the bold black title at the top of the page. " _The Mutation of Mankind: Could the Next Generation Consist of Superbeings_?"

" It goes on to talk about how the mutants and humans are interbreeding, and their offspring as reported to be immune from every single disease that exists." Angie said as she went back to the tiny kitchen and took two glasses down from the cabinets.

Donatello read a few lines down the page before something caught his eyes. " Wait! Dr. Jonathan Gershin is leading the research team on this?"

Angie could see the worry in Donatello's eyes as she handed him a glass of iced tea.

"Is that bad?"

Donatello snorted. " That guy is off in the head! He originates from Germany, and he came to the University about three years ago, after I had started teaching, and he was going on and on about the mixing of human and mutant DNA, and, well, like it says here, it would bring an end to diseases like AIDS."

" But that's a good thing, Don." Angie grabbed the magazine back and reread over the page. " You know how many people die of that?"

" You don't understand. This guy was trying to get test subjects collected to see if his theory was true or not. He was going to inject them with the AIDS virus!" Donatello leaned back and shook his head. " All he is after is the money. He doesn't care about saving the human race."

Angie looked back down at the picture of the doctor. " He's a mutant himself. A tiger, by the looks of it."

Donatello then thought back to the other day, when Michelangelo had brought home Mandy, and told them about the gunmen and the mutant that had tired to kill him over the girl.

He lunged for the magazine and stared at the picture.

"Don?"

" He was the one after Mandy." Donatello said mostly to himself. " Mandy has mutant DNA in her blood." He then looked up at Angie. " Just like you do. Do you know anyone else who does?"

Angie let out a short laugh. " Like a LOT, Don! I alone know at least of thirty some people who do! And there is more out there!"

Donatello's eyes grew wide as he looked back down at the picture of the smiling mutant tiger. " We are in some serious trouble then."


	17. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

The bright sunlight that poured in through the white lace curtains broke into Leonardo's eyes and he inhaled deeply as he slowly opened them. He pushed himself up into a sitting position on his bed and stretched his arms up toward the ceiling, groaning as his stiff muscles pulled and twisted. He brought his hands back down to his neck and shoulders and rubbed at them, wondering how his body stay curled like it did for so long. He groaned again as he straighten out his legs, being careful not to move to fast and cause injury to himself.

"God, do I need to exercise or what?" Leonardo said to himself, then he started to laugh. He hadn't been doing any training of any kind for months. He had wasted all of his time and energy on the negative acts of revenge and jealousy, and his body was reminding him of it all over again.

Then his eyes started to wonder around the bedroom, and Leonardo felt as if he was seeing it all for the first time. Everything seemed new to him, from the off-white walls to the shiny oak dressers, the posts on his oak bedframe, and right down to the deep green carpeting. Even the potted ferns and spider plants that were spread around were new, and he could feel the life force radiating off of them. For the first time in five years, Leonardo felt at one with his surroundings.

Leonardo then brought his eyes down to his left hand and noticed it was still closed up in a tight fist. It was then that he remembered everything that had happened, and he quickly opened his palm and discovered the Rune stone was still there. But as he looked closer at it, the once brown stone was now black, and it started to fall apart, until it was nothing more than a pile of dust. Leonardo swung his legs around and leaned his hand over the small cylinder trash can that sat between the bed and the night stand. After he watched the broken pieces of stone disappear, he sat back up and began to brush his hand on his leg when he noticed something else.

" I think I'm in need of a shower and a change of clothes too." He said to himself as he looked down at the jean shorts, white tank top, and the opened blue and white checker buttoned-up shirt he had been wearing since the evening of the barbecue. He even noticed the grains of sand that were still stuck to his bare feet. Leonardo again laughed at himself, then rose from the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Donatello sat at the dining room table, his head leaning on his hands over the magazine article that Angie had given him. He had read the story dozens of times, still feeling uneasy about the German doctors' motives and their unconscious houseguest. Donatello's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a repeated crunching noise. He looked up at Raphael, who was sitting across from him, thinking that his brother was finally eating his breakfast. Raphael was instead stabbing at his dry toast with the end of the butter knife repeatedly, spreading crumbs on the table with every hit. Donatello raised his head, then entwined his fingers and rested his chin on his thumbs, and continued to watch Raphael. He knew Raphael was already upset with Leonardo, but he had sunk farther down in his depression during the last couple days, and even though Donatello wanted to help his brother, he knew that Raphael would never open up to him.

"What?"

Donatello blinked a few times as he realized Raphael had been staring back at him. He lowered his hands and leaned away from the table.

" Uh, nothing. Sorry."

Raphael responded with a grunt as he flung the knife into the tub of butter and proceeded to eat his toast dry. Donatello sighed, then closed the magazine and pushed his chair backward as he prepared to stand up.

"How's things with Angie goin'?" Raphael said with a mouthful of toast.

Donatello's eyes widen. " Fine?"

Raphael snorted as he took a gulp of orange juice. " Are ya sure about that? You don't sound like it."

Donatello scooted his chair back to the table and rolled the magazine up in his hands.

"I just didn't expect you to ask me something like that. I was slightly shocked."

"Yeah, I figured." Raphael laughed, then his focus went back to the toast on the plate in front of him. Donatello stayed still for a long time, wondering if he should say something back to his brother. He knew Raphael was trying to reach out to him, but Donatello knew the disagreements they had in the past were keeping Raphael from going any farther. Donatello decided that he wasn't going to let another one of his brothers fall apart, and if there was one thing that he had learned from Angie, it was how to be more compassionate toward others. He gathered up all of his courage, then began to speak.

" Hey Raph?"

His brother lifted his brown eyes up, but said nothing.

" Look, I know you and I haven't been exactly close over the years, and that we don't see things eye to eye, but I just want you to know that I care about you."

Donatello could see the confusion in Raphael's face, but he continued talking anyway.

" If there is ever a time when you need someone to talk to, I'll be there for you. Or if you need to vent out some anger. Anything. I mean it."

Raphael then made a look of disgust. " Man, she's turned you into a freakin' wuss."

Donatello's mouth dropped, then he shoved his chair back as he stood up. " Dammit, Raph! I try to open up to you and this is what I get! Why do I even bother with you?"

"Donnie."

"What!" Donatello then saw the big smile that sat on Raphael's face.

" I was just messin' with ya." Raphael chuckled as Donatello slowly sat back down. " You really need to lighten up, bro."

Donatello then joined in Raphael's laughter as he buried his face into his right hand. The sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway upstairs stopped their laughter, and Donatello turned his head as Michelangelo bounded down the stairs and across the foyer to the guest rooms.

"Was that-" Raphael started to ask before Donatello stopped him.

" It was just Mikey."

" Why does he have to sound like a freakin' herd of cattle when he runs through the house?" Raphael finished off his orange juice, then headed to the kitchen for another glass.

" Mikey!" Donatello's voice echoed through the foyer, stopping Michelangelo from opening the door. " I already checked on her this morning. No change."

Michelangelo's smile faded from his face as he slowly walked back to dining room and slumped into a chair next to Donatello. Raphael moved back to the other side of the table, shaking his head as he watched Michelangelo rubbed at the bandage that was wrapped around his arm.

" I still can't believe you brought her here."

"Hey, times are different. It's not like she's gonna wake up and scream at the sight of giant talking turtles, Raph," Michelangelo said as he recalled the time when Raphael had brought April down to their old lair in the sewers years ago. " Besides, if we had dropped her off somewhere else, how do you know those Germans dudes wouldn't have nabbed her again?" He then scratched at his forehead. " I still don't get why they were after her."

Donatello opened the magazine back up and shoved it under Michelangelo's nose. " Mikey, was this the guy that was in charge of those gunmen?"

Michelangelo looked at the picture Donatello was pointing at and wildly nodded his head.

" That's the guy!"

Raphael leaned over the table and studied the picture of the mutant tiger. " Who is he?"

" His name is Jonathan Gershin. He's the leading biologist over in Germany, not to mention a Grade A nutcase."

"He's a scientist, but he goes around kidnapin' pop stars?" Raphael shook his head as he lifted his glass. " The guy needs a new hobby."

"So what does he want with Mandy, Donnie?" Michelangelo asked as he grabbed a banana from the bowl of fruit that sat on the kitchen counter.

" Well, that's the thing. I knew he was heading some sort of research team on the mixing of human and mutant DNA, and he-" Donatello then stopped as he heard music coming from the living room. " Did you guys leave the stereo on?"

Raphael and Michelangelo shook their heads and answered no at the same time.

" I'll go turn it off." Michelangelo bit into the fruit as he headed for the doorway to the living room. The soft music grew in volume as he walked closer to it, and noticed that it was a CD that was playing instead of the radio. Michelangelo silently ate his banana as he listened to the soft alto voice of the singer, and as he wondered who she was, he found the CD case sitting upright on top of the floor speakers. He grabbed the case and went back into the dining room.

" Does either one of you own a-" Michelangelo turned the case sideways. " Fiona Apple CD?" He held the case up so his brothers could see the picture of the artist's large blue eyes.

"Who?" Raphael answered as Donatello took the case from Michelangelo's hand.

" Mike, the only person in this house that listens to Fiona Apple is-" Raphael and Michelangelo watched as Doantello's eyes grew wide before he finished his sentence.

"-Leo."

The three of them exchanged nervous glances, then Donatello and Raphael jumped up from the table and pushed past Michelangelo as they ran to the entrance of the living room. Michelangelo slowly joined them and hid behind Donatello as they all looked around for Leonardo.

"Where is he?" Donatello whispered as Raphael took a step into the living room.

" He ain't in here!" Raphael exclaimed. He then turned his head to the right and found himself face to face with the blade of a sword.

" What the fuck!" Raphael jumped backwards and clutched his chest as his heart beat raced from fear. The blade lowered down and they watched as Leonardo grabbed his stomach while he laughed uncontrollably.

"After all these years, I can still scare you with that!" Leonardo continued to laugh as he walked back to the couch. He sat down, placing the sword across his lap, then grabbed a spray bottle and a white rag off of the floor. Leonardo then wiped the cleaning solution off of the sword, and he could feel his brothers' eyes watching his every move. He rose his head and studied their expressions. Donatello stood with his eyebrows raised and his arms crossed, Raphael was shooting daggers with his eyes, and Michelangelo moved his head to the bass beat of the music while he finished the banana he was eating.

" You guys can sit down, you know." Leonardo pointed to the other couch across from him. Donatello was the first to move, then Michelangelo. Raphael stayed behind and leaned against the doorframe.

" Raph, come on. You too." Leonardo motioned at his brother with his hand. Raphael gritted his teeth together then slowly moved to the couch to join his brothers.

Leonardo didn't speak right away. He moved the cloth over the blade of his sword and watched the light reflect off of its metal surface. After checking over the blade to make sure he didn't miss any spots, Leonardo gasped the long handle and outstretched his arm to his left side, feeling the weight of the sword in his hand. Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo then watched as he leaned the sword against the couch with the other one. Leonardo took a deep breath as he positioned himself on the edge of the sofa and placed his palms together.

"Okay, where do I start?" His question was directed at himself, but Raphael butted in.

" Start out by sayin' what a jackass you are, then go from there!"

Leonardo then surprised his brothers by nodding his head in agreement. " Yeah, you're right, Raph. And I finally realized what I've been doing to everyone, and how much I've been hurting you guys."

"That ain't even the half of it, bro," Raphael crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. " And there ain't nothin' you can say to us to make it better, either!"

Leonardo could feel the angry vibes Raphael was putting out. " I know that. I can't change what I did. All there is to do is learn from my mistakes, and somehow make things better for the future."

Raphael was about to speak again when he saw a few tears drop down Leonardo's face, and it made him ease up on his aggression.

" It was wrong of me to close myself off from you guys. You guys are my family. I don't know I would have done if you three would have walked out on me." Leonardo's tears began to fall faster and he wiped them with the back of his index fingers. " All I can say is I'm sorry, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make us a family again. I want to forget everything and start over. I love you guys."

" Aw, hell, Leo!" Michelangelo sniffled back his own tears, jumped up from the opposite couch and pulled Leonardo to his feet. He then grabbed his brother in a tight hug. " Why do you have to make me cry all the time!"

Doantello stood up and smiled, wiping away a few tears of his own. He moved over to his brothers and joined in. " I'm glad you're back, Leo. We really missed you, the 'real' you."

" So did I." Leonardo said as he and Donatello shared a laugh and a hug. They all then turned to Raphael, who was still sitting down, acting like he didn't care about what was going on.

As Leonardo looked into Raphael's eyes, he could see the mixed emotions his brother was feeling. He moved over and knelt down in front of Raphael.

" You know what, Raph?"

" What?" Raphael responded sharply.

" I don't expect you to accept my apology. I think out of the three of you, I hurt you the most. Our relationship with each other was growing, and we were so close. You don't know how much that meant to me, and I know it meant a lot to you, too."

Raphael knew Leonardo was right, but he moved his eyes away from his brother. " Whatever."

Leonardo ignored Raphael's response. " Please, Raph. Just give me another chance. I want to forget everything and start over again. I want to make things right between us."

Raphael turned his head away as tears began to well up in them. He didn't want to believe the sincerity in his brother's voice nor did he want Leonardo to see his watery eyes. He felt Leonardo grab his hand and it made him turn his head back. He stared into Leonardo's eyes, then took a deep breath and let down his guard.

" One more chance. But if you fuck this up again, I'll kick your ass!"

Leonardo laughed as the tears rolled down his cheeks again and he pulled Raphael to his feet. They held onto each other for a few minutes before they felt another pair of arms around them.

" I love group hugs!" Michelangelo gushed as he rested his head on Leonardo's shell. He then pulled Donatello over, and the four of them held onto one another, once again feeling like the family they had always been. And Leonardo had never felt more thankful for his brothers in his life than in that moment.

* * *

"Oh, my head..."

Mandy moaned as she rolled over onto her left side. She flickered her dark blue open as she lifted her right hand to her head, then moaned again as her finger touched the stitched up gash that ran down to her right temple. It was then that she saw a mutant turtle staring back at her.

"How ya doing?"

" What the-!" Mandy shot up to a sitting position on the bed she was laying on and she pushed herself up against the head board. She placed her hands up to her chest, feeling her heart beat inside of her head.

" Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out like that." The turtle said with a smile. " I just still can't believe it's you! In MY house!"

Mandy winced again as she let her body relax. " What are you talking about? What happened?"

The turtle gave her a weird look. "You don't remember? Those German dudes with the guns, they, like, tried to kidnap you, but I rescued you!"

Mandy then laughed at the turtle. " So does that make you my knight in shining armor?" Her laughter continued until she saw the look of shock in his eyes. He then smiled as if he knew something she didn't.

" Something like that!" He then extended his hand out to her as he continued to hold his smile. " Name's Michelangelo, Mikey for short."

Mandy looked down at the turtle's hand, then slowly grabbed it. " Mandy." The turtle shook her hand so fast it made her like she was riding on a bumpy road.

" I know! I know everything about you!" The turtle then took a deep breath. " Your full name is Amanda Marie Anderson. You were born in Wisconsin on October 11, 1979, but moved to California when you five. You were discovered at a talent show at a shopping mall at the age of twelve, and you recorded your first album at thirteen."

Mandy blinked her eyes and felt completely dumbfounded. " Okay..."

" I also know that your fav color is purple, that you have three dogs, you're the youngest of four kids, and you like butterflies!"

" Okay, you have been reading way too many issues of _Teen Bop_!" Mandy said as she stretched her legs, trying to ignore how star stuck Michelangelo was.

" I've seen you in concert like ten times! I have all of your videos on tape! I've seen all of your HBO specials!"

"Yeah, I get it. You're a big fan." Mandy turned her eyes away from Michelangelo, and began to look for a way out of the bedroom she sat in.

" Speaking of butterflies," Michelangelo scooted the chair he was sitting in closer to the bed. " Did you get that butterfly painting I sent you last year? It was supposed to be like a birthday gift, but I didn't have the money to send it right away, so it was a little late. I hope that-"

"Okay! Geesh, you talk way too much!" Mandy placed her hand back to her head as she felt another stinging pain shot through it.

" Sorry," Michelangelo apologized. " But did you get it?"

" Look, Mikey," Mandy pushed herself to the edge of the bed. " I know you mean well, but the truth is that I never open my fan mail. I'm too busy. I've been in and out of recording studios and on the road since I was fourteen. I may see one or two things that fans send me, but other than that, I never have time for it!" She then saw the disappointment in Michelangelo's eyes. " I'm sure it was a beautiful painting though. Thank you."

A smile crawled across Michelangelo's face as he shyly turned his head in embarrassment. " Your welcome, I guess."

"Hey, is there anyway I can get a shower or something?" She pulled at her blonde hair and stuck out her tongue at the dried blood that ran though it. " This is so gross."

" Yeah, I'll show you. Come on!"

* * *

Later that day, Leonardo had joined Splinter in the greenhouse and was helping the old rat in the delicate task of trimming the Bonsai trees. Splinter had taught Leonardo the art of _penijing _when he was very young and from that had sprung Leonardo's love for plants. Even though Splinter adored the Japanese form of the Bonsai trees, he preferred to use the much larger Chinese version of the tree, especially after his eye sight had slightly depleted. As they worked, Leonardo asked Splinter question after question about what went on during his forced slumber, and he would also repeatedly apologize to his sensi for his actions. But after a few warm smiles from his father, Leonardo closed his mouth and just enjoyed their time together. After four hours of work, Splinter began to feel tired, and Leonardo suggested that he return to the house and rest. Splinter had only been gone a few minutes when Leonardo heard the sounds of the greenhouse door opening again.

" Hello? Leo? Are you in here?"

Leonardo lowered his large hedge clippers and peered around the leaves of the dogwood bush he was standing behind. He saw a flash of blonde hair sitting on top of a lavender tank top before he heard Christina's voice again.

" There you are! I was beginning to think your brothers were full of crap!" She started down the wooden walkway as Leonardo sat the clippers on the ground and moved out from behind the bushes.

" Chris, what are you doing here?" Leonardo asked, feeling very nervous about seeing Christina's face again, but knowing he had to clear his conscious by confronting her.

Christina looked around as she spoke. " Well, I just wanted to say goodbye to you before I left."

" What? Where are you going?" Leonardo asked as he lead her to a circular stone table, and they sat down on similar stone stools.

" I didn't get to tell you the other night but I going back to California and work for my dad. I'm finishing college out there too." Christina pulled her sunglasses down off the top of her head and then straighten out the flyaway hairs with her fingers.

" Yeah, about the other night," Leonardo sighed as he spoke, but he stopped speaking when Christina shook her head.

" Please don't tell me you're sorry, Leo. I understand why you did what you did."

" You do?"

Christina leaned forward on the table and grabbed Leonardo's hands on hers. " Did you think you were the only one who knew how to use someone to get back at an ex?" She then laughed. " Please! You are talking to the QUEEN of users! Only this time, I was the one on the using end. But I know you did it only because you still care for my cousin."

" It's a sick way of showing it if you ask me." Leonardo shook his head. " I'm just so sorry you got stuck in the middle of it. I really didn't have any intention of hurting you or leading you on. I just noticed how crazy it made Linda and-" Leonardo stopped talking when he said Linda's name and looked into Christina's eyes. " How is she doing?"

Christina saw the hope in Leonardo's eyes and it made her heart ache. " Oh, hon. I wish I could tell you she's okay, but, she's not. She's- well-"

"What? She what?" Leonardo asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

" Linda said she's done. After what happened, she told me that she's moving on with her life and that you are nothing more than a memory."

The words that exited from Christina's mouth crashed into Leonardo and he felt a crushing pain in his chest. " She's- done with me?"

" I'm sorry Leo. I really am." Christina squeezed Leonardo's hands tightly and offered him a sympathetic smile. " You know, even though you never had any real feelings for me, I could still see what Linda had seen in you. You are such a gentleman, so respectful, and you are so loving and compassionate. And you are such a great kisser"

Leonardo could feel the flush in his cheeks as he turned his eyes away in embarrassment.

" Thanks, I think."

Christina smiled again and placed an open palm on Leonardo's cheek. " And if anything else, you proved to me that there are still good guys out there, and I hope I can find one just like you. I tired of playing around. I want something real." She then lowered her hand and stood up from the table.

" Well, I have to get going, Daddy sent his private jet out here and I know I'll be hearing about how expensive the fuel was bringing me home in it!" Christina leaned over and gave Leonardo a tight hug, then spoke softly into his ear hole. " If I were you, I wouldn't let her go. Fight for her. Linda is such a great person and you two were made for each other." As she pulled away, she gently kissed Leonardo on the cheek, then gave him a wink before walking back down the wooden walkway, and out the greenhouse doors.

Leonardo didn't move from the stone table for a long time. He thought about what Christina had told, and it fulled him with sadness to think that Linda had washed her hands of him. A few days ago, Leonardo wouldn't have care. He was weak and stupid then, and he would have just drank his problems away. But he was different now. He had destroyed that part of him, and he was never going to let himself sink that far down ever again.

As Leonardo stood up from the table and moved toward the door of the greenhouse, he again replayed Christina's words in his head, and he knew that it would take everything he had to win back the one and only person he had ever loved, just like he knew it was going to be one of the hardest thing in his life he would ever have to do.

Leonardo walked across the back lawn and around to the front steps of the house. When he moved up onto the porch, he made a mental note of how high the grass was and realized it had been at least a week or two since anyone had bothered to mow. Leonardo shook his head in frustration, and began to move off the porch when his eyes caught sight of something in the driveway that made him do a double take. There, parked behind Raphael's Mustang and Michelangelo's yellow Cavalier, was Linda's tan Camry. The nerves in Leonardo's stomach jumped, making him feel suddenly nauseated, and sweat started to build up in his palms. He looked at the front door, fighting back to urge of jumping into his Jeep and driving off. He may have wanted nothing more than a chance to talk to Linda, but he knew he wasn't ready to face her yet, and he defiantly didn't want to do it in front of anyone either. Leonardo took a deep breath, then opened the front door.

Once inside, Leonardo slipped out of his sandals and cautious peered into the foyer, seeing no one, but hearing voices and laughter coming from the living room. He walked across the wood floor very fast without a sound, as he had been trained to do, then quickly glanced into the living room before stopping just outside the doorframe. He stood still for a moment, making sure that no one had seen him, and he then recalled who he had seen: His brothers, Linda, Angie and the blonde girl that Mike had told him about earlier. Leonardo then looked around the corner of the doorframe, and his eyes went directly to Linda, taking in everything about her.

Her shiny black hair had grown out a little, and it now hung just below her shoulders. She wore a thin, white, long sleeve shirt that opened up to reveal a powder blue tank top under it and a pair of dark khaki shorts. Leonardo's eyes then moved down her thin, muscular legs to her light blue painted toenails, then back up slowly to her face. He felt an ache in his heart as he watched her throw her head back in laughter, then lost himself in her large brown eyes. Leonardo then felt a few tears beginning to build up and the ache in his heart increased, and as he continued to stare, he knew he was falling in love with her all over again.

"Hey! There's my other bro, Leo!"

Leonardo snapped out of his daydream when he heard Michelangelo speak, and he then realized that he had moved into the middle of the doorframe and that everyone was staring at him, except Linda, who quickly turned her head away. Leonardo looked at Michelangelo as he spoke and pointed his finger to the young blonde girl that sat above him on the couch. Leonardo noticed that Mandy was dressed in a white T-shirt that read _Green Dragon Board Wax_ and a pair of black shorts. The shirt hung loosely on Mandy's tall but tiny frame and he knew that they had come out of Michelangelo's closet.

"Leo, this is Mandy!"

Leonardo laughed lightly at the excited tone in his brother's voice, then shared a smile with Mandy as he walked toward her and took her extended hand.

" It's nice to meet you. How are you feeling?"

Mandy shrugged. " Okay, I guess."

Leonardo nodded as he glanced out of the corners of his eyes at Linda, but found out that she had moved from the couch and was standing in front of the five rack CD tower, looking through the Turtles extensive music collection. He watched her for a moment, then sighed as he turned around and walked back into the foyer. He could feel the eyes of his brothers on him, and Leonardo could tell from the hush in the room that they had already heard what Christina had told him earlier.

Leonardo had just exited the doorway when he felt a finger tap his shell through his shirt. He turned and found Angie behind him, dressed in a white peasant top and a long, flowing black skirt. Her brown hair was pulled back on the sides, and as she jingled as she moved. Leonardo looked down at the source of the sound and found a silver anklet with tiny bells on it.

Angie looked down to where Leonardo's eyes were. " It keeps away evil spirits."

"I think I could use one of those." Leonardo joked, and laughed as Angie giggled.

" How are you doing?" Angie asked as she grabbed onto Leonardo's arm as the walked outside.

Leo shrugged. " Fine, I suppose. I just feel, I don't know, lost or something. Do you know what I mean?"

Angie leaned her head to the side as she thought. " Is it because you feel like you wasted years dwelling on your anger?"

"I think you may have hit the nail on the head." Leonardo nodded as he led Angie around Splinter's greenhouse to a small storage shed. Angie let go of Leonardo's arm as he fished his keys from his shorts pocket and opened the lock on the shed doors. " I just don't know what I'm going to do now, Angie."

"About Linda?" Angie watched as Leonardo pulled out the lawn mover and checked the gas tank. " She's in a lot of pain. It will just take her some time to get over what happened."

Leonardo sighed. " I know. Christina told me what she said about me, and I don't blame her for wanting to move on. How could she ever love me again after what I pulled?"

Angie offered Leonardo a smile as she knelt down beside of him. "Linda still loves you, Leo. I know she does. She doesn't want to admit that to anyone, even herself. It will just take a little effort on your part to bring her back around."

"Which is what I want to do more than anything!" Leonardo replaced the cap on the lawn mover gas tank, then stood and wiped his hands on a rag that hung on the handlebar. " The only problem is I don't know where to start. This is going to be so hard."

"Even the biggest ring started from just a tiny pebble." Angie said, then laughed as Leonardo raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

" I see Splinter has been sharing his worldly wisdom with you."

Angie nodded. " Your father is very wise. He knows what he's talking about."

Leonardo stood quietly for a minute, then wrapped his arms around Angie. " Thank you so much for everything you did."

"Your welcome." Angie said as she squeezed Leonardo tightly, then pulled away. She smiled again, then turned to walk away as Leonardo bent down to start the mower. She had taken a few steps then heard Leonardo speak again.

" This may sound strange, but I feel like I was supposed to meet you. Isn't that weird?"

Angie walked back over to Leonardo and shook her head. " Not at all. Fate puts people together for a reason. I know you understand that now."

Leonardo lowered his eyes and Angie could tell he was thinking. " I do, actually." He lifted his eyes back up. " I guess I have to leave my life in Fate's hands, huh? That really scares me though."

Angie laughed again. " Don't think of it as losing control of your life. Think of it as being free to _live_ your life, and living it to the fullest, and not worrying about what will happen next."

Leonardo smiled at Angie's words. " Yeah, that sounds good." He then pulled on the cord and the motor of the lawn mover roared as he walked out of the shed. Angie smiled as she watched Leonardo for a few minutes, then she turned back toward the house.


	18. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Five months later...

Raphael watched the snow fall through the glare of the blue and red neon Budweiser sign that hung in the bar room window. It whipped around in the wind that was blowing off from the East River, and Raphael felt a chill run through his body as he thought of the cold December air. He looked back down at the glass in his hand and again wiped it down with the towel that hung out of the pocket of his jeans, and sighed heavily. Raphael had been so lost in the falling snow that he had almost forgot that he was at work.

His eyes traveled up from the glass in his hand to the scene around him. The dimly lit East Side Bar and Grill held, apart from the bar itself, twenty red booths and ten round tables, and most of the seats were filled with the usual seedy patrons, which always consisted of bikers, hookers, and drug junkies. Only the drunks sat at the bar, where Raphael stood and listened to their sorry and pathetic tales of life as he poured them drink after drink. The only thing that made him happy at the end of his shift was the jar of tips that was always filled to the brim, and on a good night, Raphael brought home an easy thousand.

Near the bathrooms, which Raphael refused to even go in, sat a couple of run down pool tables and a video slot machine. A heavy fog of cigarette smoke circled and rose up to the ceiling. The dim lighting from the tables and the dull yellow bulbs from the mirror behind the bar were the sources of light, and it left the very back corners of the bar hidden from view. A jukebox, which had the same songs in it since the seventies, sat against the wall across from the bar, and it played the George Throughgood song _I Drink Alone_ again for the seventh time. Raphael gritted his teeth and held back the urge of shoving his fist through the jukebox as the song started up again. He had been there for four years, and every night since he had been there, someone in a depressed drunken daze would pop in several quarters and put the song on repeat. And even though Raphael hated the song, he would always find himself humming or singing along with it.

As he brought his eyes back down to the glass in his hand, he again wondered, like he did every night, why he was even there.

The door swung open, bringing in a cold blast that hit Raphael in the face, and caused several of the patrons to yell and cuss. Raphael watched the mutant lizard shake the snow off of his coat, then take a look around before sitting down at the bar in front of Raphael.

"Evenin'." Raphael said as he placed down a napkin in front of the lizard. " What can I get ya?"

The lizard moved his yellow eyes down the line of liquor bottles that sat against the mirror behind Raphael. " Uh, how about I start with a Bonfire, then go from there."

Raphael eye lit up in surprise as he grabbed a shot glass, set it on the bar, then poured in the grenadine, followed by some amarettothen topped it of with a layer of 151 proof rum. The lizard watched as Raphael stuck a match then set the rum on fire. After a few seconds, Raphael lightly blew the fire out then set the glass down in front of the lizard.

" You must be celebratin' somethin' if you're drinkin' that." Raphael said as he watched the lizard gulped the drink down then set the glass back on the counter.

"Yep, I sure am, my friend." The lizard whipped out his tongue as the alcohol warmed the inside of his body. " I just returned from the Middle East. I've been stationed there for about a year. It's good to be back on American soil."

"Stationed?" Raphael said as he prepared the lizard another shot. " You in the army or somethin'?"

" Mutant Militia, actually."

Raphael blew out the match he lit and stared at the lizard, finally remembering where he had seen the young mutant before. " Noah? Shit, bro! I knew I knew you!"

Noah narrowed his eyes as he tired to recognize Raphael's face. " I'm sorry. I don't recall you who you are."

"Hang on." Raphael grabbed red towel from the counter behind him then covered up his eyes with it. " Does this bring back anything?"

Noah thought for a second then finally smiled. " Raphael? Son of a bitch! How have you been, man?" The two shook hands and hugged each other over the bar.

" Not too bad. So what were ya doin' in the Middle East?"

Noah shrugged as he down his next shot. " Just trying to keep some peace over there. All of the religious war shit goin' on, it's crazy man." He set down his glass then leaned back away from the bar. " How's your brothers doing?"

"It's been like a fuckin' roller coaster livin' with them. Or a badly written soap opera, I don't know which."

Noah laughed heartily at Raphael's comment. " You got you a girl yet?"

Raphael's smiled faded. " Naw. You know me. Love 'em and leave 'em."

"I got married." Noah said as Raphael handed him a bottle of beer.

" Oh yeah?"

Noah nodded as he took a drink. " Yeah. It's been great. I got a kid on the way too."

Raphael sighed as he watched a smile linger on Noah's face. " I'm glad, man. You're a lucky guy. Me, well, I just don't think I'll ever have that crap. It's just not me."

Noah pointed to Raphael with the top of his beer bottle. " Don't say that. I'm sure there's someone out there right now looking for an asshole like you." Noah then began to laugh as he took another drink.

" Watch it, man. I'm also the bouncer in this shit hole. I'll throw yer ass out." Raphael chuckled. Another cold blast blew in from outside as the door opened, and Raphael turned his head away from wind. More yells and cuss words flew through the air toward the person who had walked in, and Raphael froze when he heard a familiar voice.

"Aw, cram it up you ass, jerk-off!"

Raphael turned his head sharply and felt his jaw drop as he watched Vanessa reached up and brush the snow off of the shoulders of her long, black coat. Raphael swallowed hard as Vanessa looked around through the crowd for him, and Noah could see how visibly tense Raphael was.

" An old girlfriend, Raph?" He asked taking another drink of his beer.

Raphael then locked eyes with Vanessa, then set his towel down and moved toward the end of the bar. " You could say that, I guess."

Vanessa approached the counter, still tightly wrapped in her coat, and frowned as Raphael ducked under the flip-up door on the bar.

" What are ya doin' here?" Raphael asked, his eyes still wide from the shock of seeing her there.

" Well since you refused to answer my phone calls and you make your family tell me you're not home when I came to your house, I figured I catch you here."

Raphael looked around at the noisy crowd, then pulled Vanessa to a booth far in a back corner. He motioned for her to sit down, then watched as she pushed the table back an inch, then slowly sat down. He shook his head and thought nothing of it, then sat down across from her. He darted his eyes around the scratched table, trying to avoid making eye contact with Vanessa. He could sense her growing annoyance with him, and after several minutes, finally spoke up.

" Raph, why did you walk out on me?"

Raphael slowly lifted his eyes to Vanessa's and he could see the hurt in them. He looked back down and shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know."

Vanessa shifted around in the booth. " Yes, you do know why. Why can't you just talk to me? I'm not upset with you anymore. I just want to know why you left me."

Raphael lifted his head back. He shifted his gaze around the bar room, then back down to his hands which where clenched tightly on the table. Vanessa then slowly placed her hands on top of his, and he released the tension he was holding.

" Okay, uh," Raphael sighed. " First of all, I'm sorry about walkin' out on ya. I just, freaked out, ya know? I've never had anyone say that they had anythin' for me like you did. You know how I am. My life is full of one night stands! I don't know how to handle a relationship!"

Vanessa patted Raphael's hands then slowly slipped her hands into his palms, then squeezed them tightly as he continued.

" And it was also cause I can't give you what you want. I ain't got a lot of money. Look at where I work, for cryin' out loud!"

Vanessa smiled as she let out a small laugh. " Raph, I told you. I don't care about money, or material possessions" She scooted around again in the booth and leaned over the table. " Listen to me, Raph. Chad may have money, a big house, all of that crap. But there were things that he couldn't give me that you did."

"Like what?" Raphael asked as he rubbed Vanessa's hands with his thumbs.

" Like freedom to be myself. You made me laugh all the time. I loved how we argued and play fought. It was fun! I felt so good when I was with you. But I guess I never realized how good it was until I woke up and found that you were gone."

Raphael looked back into Vanessa's eyes and could a few tears coming down her furry cheeks. " Yeah, we were good, weren't we?" He reached up and wiped the tears away. " Did you tell Chad about us?"

" Yes, I did, then he kicked me out." Vanessa shook her head at the anger in Raphael's eyes. "It's okay. I've been living with some friends of mine. I've been doing all right."

" Yeah, Leo was askin' me about you. He told me you quit working at his dojo."

Vanessa lowered her head. " Yes, I did. I was just so angry with you that I didn't want to be there if you showed up. Did you tell Leo about us?"

"Leo knew some things, but other than that, I didn't say anything.. Didn't want nobody to know."

Vanessa nodded, then moved one of her hands down under the table. Raphael could see that she was patting the top of her stomach and he raised his eyebrows. Vanessa looked up, then smiled as she slowly pushed her way out of the booth.

" There's something else I need to tell you."

Raphael watched as she slowly stood up and pulled her arms out of her coat. Raphael didn't see anything right away. He just stared at the maroon long sleeve shirt with a squared neck that Vanessa wore, then noticed that it was bunched up right above her stomach. Raphael then saw the small bump that sat under the shirt.

" Did you gain weight or somethin'?" He joked.

Vanessa's face sunk down in disgust. " No, Raph. I did not get fat." She then turned sideways and placed her hands under the bump, and Raphael then felt like he was going to hit the floor.

" You're- you're-" Raphael stuttered as he pointed. " Did I do that?"

Vanessa laughed at Raphael as she slowly moved back down into the booth. " Yes, Raph. I'm pregnant, and yes, you did that."Vanessa's smile then faded as she saw the fear and panic that hung on Raphael's face, and she shook her head. " I knew this was going to happen. Look, Raph. I don't expect you to take care of me and the baby okay? My mom is coming in and I'm going back to Africa with her. I'll be okay on my own."

Raphael then leaned back into the booth and gave Vanessa a blank stare. " What makes you think that I won't take care of you? You're off in the head if you think I'm lettin' you go, baby or no baby." He leaned back over the table and grabbed Vanessa's face in his hands. " I ain't making the same dumb ass mistake like Leo did. I got another chance, and I'm takin' it." He then leaned over and placed his lips onto Vanessa's, and kissed her softly. When he pulled away, he slid out of the booth and helped Vanessa to her feet, then stared at her belly.

" Can I?" Raphael asked as his left hand hovered over the spot in her stomach.

Vanessa smiled and laughed. " Of course." She then watched Raphael sat his hand down gently onto her stomachand held it there as a smile spread over his face.

" I still can't believe it. I'm gonna be a- damn," Raphael then brought his eyes up to Vanessa's face. "Man, the guys are gonna freak."

Vanessa smiled lovingly as she watched Raphael's hand move up and down her stomach.

"How are your brothers doing? I've missed them."

"Okay, for the most part. Donnie and Angie have been attached at the hip, and, you remember that girl that Mikey saved?"

" That singer?"

" Yeah, she's been livin' with us, too."

"Why?"

"Long story. I'll tell ya about it on the way to the house." Raphael lowered his hand then grabbed Vanessa's coat from the booth. "And I hope you know you're movin' in too!"

Vanessa's eyes grew at Raphael's bossy tone. " Yes, sir!"

" I ain't lettin' you out of my sight, woman." Raphael then smiled as he helped Vanessa put on her coat. He walked back over to the bar, then spoke to a tall fellow with an eyepatch, who Vanessa guessed was Raphael's boss. The guy nodded, then Raphael rejoined Vanessa at the front door as he put on his leather jacket. As Raphael opened the door, Vanessa waited until he had joined her outside before speaking.

" What about Leo? How is he doing?"

Raphael stopped walking and sighed. " Linda's been treatin' him like shit. She comes over with Angie, and just acts hateful to him. I think she's doin' it on purpose." He wrapped his arms around Vanessa as they walked down the wooden boards of the dock and out into a small parking lot. As he opened the passenger side door of his car, he could see sadness in Vanessa's face. " What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just, I just don't think Leo deserves that. I know he screwed up before, but everyone does. Nobody is perfect. I guess it's just because where I saw him with those kids every day, I saw a side of him that no one else sees. Leo has such a big heart, and he's driven by his emotions, just like you."

Raphael sighed again as he helped Vanessa into the car, then went around to the drivers side and jumped in. He placed his key and turned on the ignition, quickly grabbing for the volume knob on the radio and turning down the rock music that blared suddenly. He then sat back and thought about what Vanessa had just said.

" I know Leo ain't perfect. I've spent years tryin' to prove that to everyone! But there were so many times that Leo was there for us. He risked his life so many times without even givin' it any thought. He never worried about himself, it was always about us." Raphael then run his palms over the steering wheel as he listened to the engine of the Mustang purr. " I guess we forgot to worry about him." Then without looking down, he grabbed Vanessa's left hand and squeezed it. " He's been doin' better. He's his normal anal self again." Raphael paused as Vanessa giggled. " But it's just been hard for him to be in the same room as Linda. When she comes over, he hides, and we hardly see him"

"You said she was being hateful to him? Like how?" Vanessa asked as Raphael began to back up and drive down the snow covered street.

" Somethin' like that. You'll see it when we get there."

* * *

"Mikey! Those bulbs are too bunched up. You have to space them apart so it looks balanced." 

Leonardo shook his head as he reached up the six foot pine tree and grabbed a handful of glass ornaments, then began to study the tree for empty spaces. Michelangelo, who was sitting behind him on the carpet, stuck out his tongue and mocked his brother.

" _'You have to space them apart!'_ Every year I hear that! Give me a break. How about YOU space them apart and I'll watch." He then turned to Mandy who was sitting next to him and trying to carefully untangle a long strand of shiny red garland.

" Wanna go play in the snow?"

Mandy's face lit up as she dropped the garland and jumped to her feet. " Heck ya! This is so boring!" Leonardo turned around just in time to see his helpers run out of the living room.

" Kids. " He sighed, then looked back at the tree and continued to fix Michelangelo's mess. Donatello and Angie were on the floor as well, sitting against the couch and both of them were untangling a strand of Christmas tree lights.

"Do you need some help, Leo?" Angie offered.

" No, I'd rather do this myself. Thanks, though."

Angie nodded, then moved her eyes over to the chairs that sat near the large bay window, and she met with Linda's cold stare. Angie shrunk down from Linda's gaze and huddled closer to Donatello. She had seen such a dramatic change in her best friend over the last few months, how angry she had become, and now Angie didn't want to be around her half of the time, which was hard considering Linda lived with her. As she pretended to work on the lights, she looked back up and found Linda's eyes were glued to Leonardo's back, and Angie swore that if Linda could shoot fire from her eyes, Leonardo would have been nothing more than a smoldering heap of ashes.

" I think I finally got it!"

Angie turned her eyes to Donatello as he stood up and walked over to the outlet where the lights were plugged in. He turned to switch on the plug, and the lights finally turned on. Angie smiled at the colorful display then at Donatello as he sat back down.

" What did you do?"

Doantello shrugged as his pulled the strand through the loosen knot. " I just stripped the

wiring back and tied it to the other one. Now, not only does it work, but it's long enough to go around the whole tree."

Angie's smile grew as she bumped Donatello with her hip. " How sexy are you right now?"

Across the room, Splinter reached into one of the ornament boxes and pulled out a smaller box and slowly opened it. Linda, who was sitting across from him, watched as he unwrapped a few layers of faded tissue paper to reveal four tiny, colored glass bulbs. Linda looked closer and saw that each bulb had the names of the Turtles written on one side, then their Japanese character on the other. Splinter smiled as he noticed Linda's interest in the ornaments.

" These are from their first Christmas. Someone had discarded them, so I polished them and painted on their names." Splinter then held them up as Leonardo approached him.

" We have to wait until Raph gets home before we put these on." Leonardo then looked up at Linda, who quickly turned her head as he locked eyes with her. Leonardo took a deep breath as he glanced at the box that sat beside of Linda's feet. " Could you pass that to me, please?" Linda kept her head turned and said nothing as Leonardo bent down. " Look, you don't have to. If you just move your feet around, I can-"

Leonardo was stopped as Linda's foot slammed into his chest. He jumped back and watched as Linda bent down and shoved the box toward him so fast, it struck Leonardo's toes before he could move his foot.. He winced in pain, which made Linda smile as she leaned back into the chair and turned back to the window. Leonardo shared a look with Splinter, then picked up the box and walked back to the tree.

"Guess who's home!"

Everyone's attention turned to the doorway where Michelangelo and Mandy where standing. When they moved away, Angie gasped as Raphael and Vanessa appeared behind them.

" Vanessa!" Angie shrieked as she ran towards her. As she began to throw her arms around her old friend, she bumped into something unexpected. She looked back up into Vanessa's eyes, then into Raphael's, then smiled but said nothing. Leonardo and Donatello then joined them at the doorway.

"Vanessa, it's good to see you. I was really worried about you." Leonardo then reached his arms around Vanessa and felt the bump against his stomach. " Whoa! What the-"

Raphael smiled as he tighten his grasp on Vanessa's hand. " Guys, we got somethin' to tell ya."

* * *

It was one in the morning, and the snow continued to fall as Mandy sat on the front porch. She was tightly wrapped in a purple down feather coat, and she watched as the snow fall onto her matching purple lace-up boots. She stretched out her legs and tapped them together as she looked up at the sky. She heard the sound of a closing door behind her, then turned her head as Michelangelo sat down next to her. He smiled at Mandy, then looked at the sky with her. 

" Whatca doing?" Michelangelo asked.

" Just watching the snow." Mandy sighed as she sat upright and stuck her hands into the pockets of her coat, thinking of what to say next. " It's really cool about your brother and his girlfriend."

" Yeah! I still can't believe I'm gonna be an uncle!"

Mandy nodded as she kept her eyes skyward. It had been five months since the Turtles had welcome her into their house, and she had grown so close to them. They reminded her of her own brothers, and the thought of them brought a few tears to her eyes. She wanted to go home and be with them during Christmas, but she knew her life was in danger, and there was no way that her hosts would let her go. Mandy glanced over at Michelangelo and watched as he drew something in the snow with his fingers. She leaned over his lap and watched him work, then smiled as she realized he had drawn a butterfly. He then noticed she was hanging on him and he quickly stuck his hand in the snow and erased the picture.

" Why did you do that?" Mandy asked as she sat up. " It was good, even for being in snow!"

Michelangelo shrugged. " I was just thinking of that painting I sent you. I wish you could had seen it. The butterfly was like wavy looking, and I did the wings in turquoise, yellow and white, with gold around the edges-"

"And the background faded from lavender to a dark purple." Mandy finished Michelangelo's description and she left the turtle speechless. She then leaned the top half of her body down and lifter up the bottom of her coat and the shirt under it. Michelangelo gasped as he saw his drawing sitting on the small of her back.

" You did get it! " Michelangelo said in awe as Mandy sat back up.

" It was by mistake that I saw it, too. But I loved it so much, I had it tattooed on me." Mandy smiled at the look on Michelangelo's face, then looked back at the falling snow. They sat in silence for another minute before Mandy spoke again.

" Mikey, I need to tell you something." She turned her body around and sat crossed legged. Michelangelo did the same.

" What's up?"

Mandy sighed, then spoke. " You know when Donnie was asking me all of those questions about that German doctor and why they wanted me, and I told you guys I didn't know why they were after me?"

Michelangelo nodded. " Yeah?"

"Well," Mandy nervously darted her eyes around. " I...lied. I do know who Dr. Gershin is and I know why he wants me."

Michelangelo then suddenly felt a little angry. " Why did you do that?"

" I don't know. I guess I was just scared or something." She brought her blue eyes to Michelangelo's face. " And, you know, I was afraid that if I told you that you would take me to the cops or something, then I would have had to go back to my life."

Michelangelo's anger faded as he saw the sadness that crept into Mandy's eyes. " How could you not want to go back to your life? I'd have a blast if it was me!"

" I did have a blast, but I wanted to live my life, not see it pass in front of me." Mandy lowered her head and played with the strings on her boots. " All of the people around you, day and night. The press, the screaming fans. It gets so old after a while, Mikey. I just want to be a normal teenager, and you guys have given me the chance to. I mean, I haven't been able to go anywhere, but I can lay around the house in my pajamas all day long and watch T.V! Or eat pizza and a half a gallon of ice cream in one sitting! I could never do any of that before, and it felt great to be able to." She then reached into Michelangelo's lap and grabbed his hands. " I've had such a great time with you guys. I don't want it to end!"

Michelangelo held onto Mandy's hands and watched as a breeze caught the ends of her blonde hair. He then realized that he longer saw Mandy as the pop star he once idolized, but more like a friend. " Yeah, I guess it could get old, and I know how you feel. I never really had normal teenage years either. I didn't get to enjoy my life until I was eighteen, and I guess I'm making up for it now too."

Mandy squeezed Michelangelo's hands. " Not to get too deep or anything, but I feel such a connection to you, like we're on the same wavelength or something! You know what I mean?"

Michelangelo thought for a second, then nodded. " I know what you mean. Now, about that German dude..."

* * *

"So, your father knew Dr. Gershin, and he tried to steal your father's ideas about the combining DNA from different species?" 

Donatello rubbed at his chin as he tried to piece together the story that Mandy was telling

him.

Mandy nodded as Michelangelo handed her a mug of hot chocolate and sat down beside her at the dining room table. " My dad was so smart. He knew that if you took DNA from a human and a mutant, their combined structure would form a new kind of blood type that would be practically indestructible!"

"Wait a mintue!" Raphael asked as he leaned forward on the table. " How did your dad know that?"

Mandy set her mug down and stared into Raphael's eyes. " You're looking at living proof of it, Raph."

Michelangelo then choked on the marshmallow he had just stuck in his mouth. " You're a mutant? No way!"

"Bet you never read that in _Teen Bop_, did ya?" Mandy said as she laughed at Michelangelo.

" Your father was the mutant, I take it?" Leonardo asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

" Yeah," Mandy nodded. " Back in those days, mutants were still hiding out, but there was a school located in a rural part of Hamburg, and it was run by mutants who believed that their kind could excel faster in the scientific world than humans could because of their enhance

thinking."

"Seems like you would have fit right in, Donnie." Raph said with a laugh.

"Only this was back in the late sixties, Raph. I wasn't even thought of yet." Donatello turned his attention back to Mandy. " Okay, so where did your father get a human, to, uh, mate with him, so to speak?"

"He met my mom at the school. She was a big time activist for mutant rights, and she attended the school right along side of them. From what my mom used to tell me, she fell in love with him instantly and she wanted to help him in his experiment in any way she could."

"Hang on." Leonardo held up his hand. " How is it that your father was a mutant, yet you look as human as she does?" Leonardo then pointed at Angie, who was quietly sitting on Donatello's right side.

" Um, Leo?" Donatello said as he drew Leonardo's attention to him. " I never told you guys this but, Angie is a mutant too."

"What!" Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo shouted in unison.

" I have mutant ancestors." Angie said as she looked up from her crossword puzzle.

" This is so sweet! Do you guys have powers like the X-men?" Michelangelo asked the girls, then felt a marshmallow hit him in the head. He glared at Raphael, who laughed as he threw another one.

"I've been doing some research on that theory, Leo." Donatello then stood up and ran to the computer room, then came back with a stack of papers. He placed his reading glasses on his face, then turned as he heard Angie laughing.

" I didn't know you wore glasses! You look so cute in them!"

"I only use them for reading and while I'm on the computer." He looked through the stack of papers, then found the one he needed. " All of those years of staying up late at night and staring at a computer screen really messed up my vision. And , thank you, by the way." He leaned over and kissed Angie on the forehead, then want back to the paper in his hand. " Okay, from what I gather, the mutant DNA only affects the blood and the inner organs of the body, making them not only stronger than a normal humans', but it makes the whole body immune from diseases of any kind, like AIDS and STD's. It's also protects from colds, the flu virus, cancer, broken bones. Everything! It's incredible!"

"That is really amazing," Leonardo said as Donatello handed him the paper. " And the outer appearance?"

"The offspring of a human and a mutant take on the human parent's form. Why, I don't know. It might be nature's way of camouflage." Donatello removed his glasses and tapped them on the table. " The only thing that it's prone to is death of course, be it natural or forced." He then looked back at Mandy. " So, I take it that Dr. Gershin is after you because of your DNA structure then."

"Yep. He has been since my oldest brother was born. We've been on the move since then, and we've had to change our last name several times."

" And bein' a musician out in the public eye has helped that?" Raphael pointed out, which made Mandy shrink down in her seat.

" It did for awhile. I couldn't help it though! Music is my life!"

" Hang on a sec." Michelangelo jumped in. " Why can't that weirdo doctor just pull some human and mutant off the street and throw them together?"

" It may sound that simple, Mikey, but it's more complex." Donatello said. " Since this is all new to the scientific community, the DNA structure would have to be split open and studied from the inside out before it could be safely copied. Mandy's father didn't really take the time to do that, and the effects of the DNA pairings could possibly be unstable."

"I'm sure Dr. Gershin knows that too." Leonardo added on. " And I bet he wants to be the first to fix it then sell his new 'discovery' to every doctor and hospital around the world, and I'm sure that your father didn't want that to happen either."

" Speakin' of your dad, are your parents even lookin' for ya?" Raphael asked, then watched as Michelangelo's eyes grew wide and he shook his head wildly. Raphael then saw the sadness in Mandy's eyes.

" My parents died when I was ten. My brothers had been taking care of me."

"Oh." Raphael said he leaned away from the table. " Sorry."

"It's okay." Mandy sighed, then smiled at Michelangelo as her rubbed her back. " I know my brothers are worried sick about me. I wish I could see them."

" Your welcome to call them anytime you want," Leonardo said with a warm smile. " But I don't think seeing them is a good idea right now. We need to find that doctor before he finds you."

* * *

Across the street, Dr. Gershin listened intently to the interesting conversation that was being held between the table of mutants. A young human, who sat in front of him, held the earphones up to his head, then looked back at the doctor and spoke to him in their native German. 

" They are parting form the table, sir. Should we break the transmission?"

"_Nein_. I want those tapes on at all times. And I want constant surveillance on them. I want to know when they wake, what they eat. I want to know when they use the bathroom."

The black clad human turned to his other side then shouted orders at the rest of the team. The doctor walked over to the heavy draped windows and peered through the glass, watching as the lights went out. A low growl rose from his throat as he continued to stare at the dark house.

"I will have what I want, and nothing, not even a group of former ninjas are going to get in my way."


	19. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

"This has got to be the greatest day of my life!"

Raphael rolled his eyes as his youngest brother bounced around in his chair. "Geez, Mikey. Calm down before you explode!"

Michelangelo continued to move around as he spoke. " I can't help it! I still can't believe I'm doing a comic book signing at an actual comic book convention!" He clenched his fists and shook them wildly in the air.

Leonardo, who was sitting on Raphael's left side, tapped on the table with a felt tip marker, and winced as Michelangelo let out a high pitched squeal. " I think you're scaring everyone away."

"Are you sure you even sold any?" Donatello said as he leaned backwards to look at Michelangelo. "We've been here for two hours now and we haven't had anyone come up to the table."

" You've only done ten issues, Mike. Maybe nobody really knows about you yet." Leonardo said as he felt a hand grab the marker away. He watched as Raphael began to draw an obscene picture of a naked woman on a piece of paper. " Raph!" Leonardo quickly grabbed the paper away as Raphael grumbled at him.

" You gotta ruin all of my fun, don't ya?" Raphael threw the marker down on the table, then looked up and noticed a young boy who was standing a few feet from the front of the table. "Are ya lost, kid?"

The harshness in Raphael's tone made the blonde boy take a few steps back Leonardo rolled his eyes and pushed Raphael away from the table as he leaned over it.

" Hey there. What's your name?"

The boy shifted his weight. " Greg."

"Well, Greg," Leonardo offered him a smile. " What can we do for you?"

Greg then pulled back the comic that was held tightly to his chest and pushed it toward the Turtles so they could see the rooftop picture on the cover. " Is that really you guys?"

The Turtles looked at one another as Donatello spoke for them.

" Yes, it is."

They then watched Greg's face light up as he turned around to face the people behind him.

"HEY! IT"S REALLY THEM!"

The Turtles then braced themselves as a huge swarm of kids and teenagers flocked around the table throwing comics down at them. As the screams and the flashing cameras escalated, Michelangelo popped the lid off of his own marker and smiled at his brothers.

"And you guys didn't think anyone was buying them."

* * *

Six hours later, after the last person happily left with a signed comic, Leonardo pulled his Jeep out of the convention center parking lot and crossed through Manhattan toward the bridge that led into Queens.

" Man, that was soooo cool!" Michelangelo gushed for the hundredth time. " My public loves me!"

" I can still see spots from all of those camera flashes." Donatello said as he looked around at the roof of the Jeep and blinked at the red and green dots that only he could see.

Leonardo smiled to himself as Michelangelo continued to talk about all of their adoring fans. He was truly happy for his youngest brother, and as he thought back to when Michelangelo had asked him for help, Leonardo knew he had made the right decision. After letting out a long sigh, Leonardo's thoughts suddenly shifted back to where they had been all day. Raphael, who sat in the passenger seat, sensed Leonardo's distance.

"You okay, bro?" He asked as he stared out of his window. " You've been actin' funny today."

Leonardo quickly glanced at Raphael, then looked back out the windshield. " I know. I've just been thinking about things."

"Like what?" Raphael said as he turned his head.

" I'm just worried about Splinter's flight to Japan tomorrow." Leonardo said blankly, and Raphael knew it was an obvious lie.

" Oh, whatever, Leo. Splinter has gone to Japan several times, and you've never acted weird about it before." Raphael crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. "You're thinkin' about Linda, aren't you?"

Leonardo glanced back at Raphael, then let out a small laugh. " Okay, you got me." Raphael then watched as Leonardo's composure changed and he could feel the tension radiating off of Leonardo's body. "I just don't understand what she is doing to me! She comes over with Angie every day, and does whatever she can to make me miserable. She picks fights with me just so she can scream at me." Leonardo's words then faded to a soft whisper. " I know how bad I screwed up, but, she doesn't need to keep throwing it in my face."

Raphael nodded. " I get ya, Leo. You know, I never thought that Linda could be that cruel. It don't look good on her." He then noticed Leonardo staring into the rear view mirror. "What is it?"

"That black van behind us," Leonardo narrowed his eyes. " They've been following us for five blocks now."

Michelangelo looked at Raphael, who had suddenly turned around in his seat and growled. He gulped, then turned to see what Raphael was looking at, and immediately knew who it was. "Holy shit! It's them! It's those German dudes! How did they know where to find us?"

Donatello then turned around. " Forget finding us. How do they even know it _is_ us?"

Leonardo heard Raphael growl again as his brother glanced into his side mirror, then Leonardo moved his eyes from the rear view mirror back down to the street, and he could feel his heart beat begin to race. " Are you guys buckled up?"

Raphael gave Leonardo an uneasy look. "Why? What are ya-"

He was cut off as Leonardo slammed on the gas pedal and jerked the steering wheel, causing the Jeep to make a sharp right turn. He then made another one to the left, and the Jeep went sideways on two tires. Raphael grabbed on to the dashboard and held back the curse words that sat on his tongue while Donatello dug his fingers into the headrest of Leonardo's seat. Leonardo made another sharp turn, which cause Michelangelo to fall into Donatello's lap.

"Mikey!" Donatello pushed him back up. " Put your seatbelt on! Don't you know that's the first thing your supposed to do when you get in a vehicle?"

"I always turn my radio on first!" Michelangelo joked, but stopped laughing as Donatello threw him a dirty look.

"Leo! What the hell are ya doin'!" Raphael's fingernails scraped across the dashboard as the Jeep took another turn and dodged several cars and buses.

"I'm trying to get us out of this traffic!" Leonardo took one more turn, then saw the bridge up ahead of them. Donatello leaned forward, noticing Leonardo was traveling at seventy miles an hour, then raised his eyes to the river. A large ferry was pulling closer to the bridge and Donatello swallowed hard as he watched the traffic arm of the toll booth going down.

" Uh, Leo?" Donatello raised his hand and pointed. " There's a ferry on the water."

"So?" Michelangelo said, obviously unaware of Donatello's point.

" So, it means they'll be raising the bridge up!" Donatello concluded, and Michelangelo felt as if his was going to faint.

"I know." Leonardo mumbled, then pushed down even farther down on the gas pedal. He went around the stopped traffic, scraping the left side of the Jeep against the guardrail. The three passenger turtles then jumped in surprise as the Jeep busted through the lowered traffic arm.

"Okay, I don't wanna hear nobody call me a psycho ever again!" Raphael shouted to his brothers in the back seat. He then gasped as the bridge jerked around under them and the Jeep began to ascend uphill. " We ain't gonna be able to make that jump, Leo!"

"Just trust me!" Leonardo shouted. He looked back into the mirror just in time to see the black van run over the crushed remnants of the white traffic arm and rush up the bridge behind them. Leonardo moved his eyes back forward, then said a silent prayer as they reached the growing break in the bridge. "Hang on guys!"

Michelangelo let out a high pitched scream and covered his eyes as the Jeep launched into the air and sailed across to the opposite side. He didn't let go of his breath until he felt the Jeep slam back down on solid ground. Michelangelo lowered his hands, then threw them up into the air.

" I'm getting too old for this stuff!" He then turned and watched as the black van also jumped and land behind them.

" So now what are ya goin' do?" Raphael asked as Leonardo steered the Jeep away from the highway and down onto an out-of-the-way two lane road. Leonardo then suddenly ripped off his seatbelt and turned to Raphael.

" Take the wheel."

"What? Are you nuts!"

"Just do it!" Leonardo then climbed into the backseat and knelt backwards between Donatello and Michelangelo. Raphael jumped into the driver's seat, grabbed the steering wheel and veered the Jeep back onto the road. Donatello and Michelangelo watched as Leonardo leaned over the seat and lifted up the floorboard of the Jeep, revealing an assortment of ninja weaponry.

" What the heck?" Michelangelo's eyes grew wide. " What are you doing with all of that stuff?"

Leonardo reached into the compartment and pulled out a small black box. "Splinter always told us to be prepared." He said as he opened the box and pulled out three silver three-pronged _shuriken_. After he replaced the box and closed the compartment, Leonardo pressed down on the black center of the stars, and three more points flew out, followed by a few electric sparks. Donatello stared at the throwing stars curiously, then realized the were the ones he had assembled years ago.

"Huh. I always wondered what happened to those."

" Sorry that I never told you I took them." Leonardo said with a smile. He then climbed over the back seat and knelt down. " Raph! Open the back hatch!"

Raphael leaned over and hit the button on the floor. The back door of the Jeep flung open sending in the late night cold February air. Leonardo held on tightly to the back seat as he moved his right foot onto the back bumper. He then hurled the _shuriken_ at the van, two hitting the front grill and the other one embedded into the van's windshield. Donatello and Michelangelo then pulled Leonardo back into the Jeep as the stars sparked. Seconds later, the front of the van flew into the air as the stars exploded. Leonardo felt pieces of glass dig into his pant legs, but ignored the pain as he watched the van flipped over and roll several times before it finally stopped in the middle of the road.

Raphael slammed on the brakes, causing the Jeep to skid to a stop. He leaped out of the door and ran around to help Leonardo out of the back. Donatello and Michelangelo exited the Jeep and joined their brothers. The four of them stood very still and watched the flames jump around the van's engine, and they waited for any signs of life to emerge.

Raphael, who then finally lost his patience, ran to the back doors of the van. He wrapped his fingers over the handle and began to pull when the door opened and knocked Raphael backwards. Before he could regain his footing, a mutant dog, dressed all in black, landed on Raphael's chest and grabbed the turtle by the throat.

"_Ich werde Sie, Sie übl mutiert scum töten_!" The mutant screamed as he tighten his grip on Raphael's throat. "_Ich hoffe, dass Sie Ihren Frieden mit Gott gemacht haben_!"

"Fuck you too asshole!" Raphael screamed back, not knowing or even caring what the dog had said to him. He then gasped for air and clawed at the mutant's hands. Raphael's head began to spin from the lack of oxygen and his eyes were slowly rolling back when the dog's hands were pulled away. Raphael pushed himself up just in time to see Leonardo knock the mutant out with a bone crushing punch to the face. Leonardo let the dog fall to the ground then walked over to help Raphael to his feet.

"Took ya long enough." Raphael joked, then noticed Donatello and Michelangelo were already in the midst of fighting three more mutants and two humans. Raphael looked at Leonardo and let a smile crawl across his face.

" Man, did I miss this!"

Leonardo smiled back, then they joined their brothers.

* * *

Angie paced nervously in front of the fireplace and glanced back up at the grandfather clock. The time read ten thirty, and her level of distress suddenly increased.

"Why are they not home yet?" Angie wondered out loud. She looked over at Vanessa and Mandy, who were sitting on the couch, and Linda, who was cross-legged on the floor in front of the love seat. " I'm getting really worried, you guys." She moved from the crackling warmth of the fire and plopped down onto the love seat.

"They're probably still at that convention." Mandy suggested as she looked through Vanessa's baby books. "Those things can get really wild and last forever!"

"How do you know that?" Angie felt a shooting pain in her temples and she lifted her fingers to them.

"My brothers are comic-acholics. I've been to, like, millions of them."

Angie sighed as she rubbed at her head as she closed her eyes. In the blackness behind her eyes, she suddenly saw a fiery explosion and loud shouting in German. She let out a moan as she tried to pry her eyes open, but found she was stick in her vision. It was only when she heard the front door slam shut was Angie able to open her eyes.

"Oh my God! What happened to you guys?" Angie watched as Vanessa slowly stood up and waddled over to the doorframe where the Turtles stood. Angie gasped at their dirty and ripped clothing, then at the many bleeding cuts on their arms and faces. She jumped up and ran to Donatello, who was helping a limping Michelangelo to the couch.

"Are you okay?" Angie took Donatello's face into her hands, then wrapped her arms around him. " I was so worried!"

"We're alright." Donatello hugged her back, feeling suddenly very grateful to see her.

" We kind of ran into some trouble on the way home."

"No kidding!" Vanessa said sarcastically as she moved Raphael down beside Michelangelo and looked at the marks around his neck. " What the hell happened to your neck? It's looks like someone tried to choke you!"

"No kiddin'," Raphael mocked Vanessa, then laughed as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Man, why is it every time I fight someone, I screw up my ankle!" Michelangelo whined as Mandy pulled his leg up into her lap.

Leonardo remained in the doorway, holding onto the gash in his upper arm. He had already made eye contact with Linda, and saw the look of compassion that he hadn't seen in a while. But as quickly as it came, it faded from her eyes, and she gave him another cold stare.

"Man, if it wasn't for Leo's Nascar moves and quick thinking, we would have been dead!" Michelangelo's words went into Leonardo's head as he realized his brother had been telling the girls what had happened.

"Yeah, Leo." Raphael turned his head around and smiled. " You did good out there. Just like old times!"

Leonardo laughed slightly. " Yeah. Just like old times." He shared another glance with Linda, then moved through the foyer to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. He opened up the medicine cabinet and pulled out the bottle of peroxide and a box of gauze. As he shut the cabinet, he looked into the mirror and jumped as he saw Linda standing behind him.

" What now? Did you find something else to bitch at me about?" Leonardo laced his words with sarcasm as he opened the box of gauze and tended to his wounds. Linda crossed her arms and leaned up against the bathroom door frame.

" No. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be accompanying Splinter to Japan tomorrow." She smiled wickedly as she heard the bottle of peroxide fall out of Leonardo's hands. He quickly picked it back up and resumed cleaning his gashes.

" That's good to know. At least I'll finally get some peace around here."

Linda then moved into the bathroom and could feel Leonardo's body tense. " Oh, so you won't miss me? Not even a little bit?"

Leonardo said nothing as he finished wrapping his arm. He replaced everything into the cabinet, then walked out of the bathroom, turning the light out on Linda as he left. Linda let out a angry growl then stormed after Leonardo.

" This time around not I'm coming back, which is what I should have done before, especially after seeing what a heartless bastard you had become." Linda came to a halt as Leonardo stopped dead in his tracks. " But if I do happen to visit, I'll remember to bring back a geisha and a bottle of saki for you!"

Leonardo felt the sting of Linda's words deep within his heart, but his growing anger took over.

" What the FUCK do you want from me!" Leonardo screamed as he turned to face Linda. " I _know_ I screwed up, okay! I _know_ what I did was wrong, and I'm sorry! I've said it hundreds of times! I don't know what else to do!"

Linda then watched as tears started to flood Leonardo's eyes and he buried his face into his hands. Linda then noticed that everyone had gathered in the doorway of the living room and watched helplessly as Leonardo cried. Linda turned her eyes away, suddenly feeling her own eyes fill up with water. All of the anger she had been holding on to, all of the rage and thoughts of causing Leonardo the same pain she had felt began to fade away, and she felt an ache in her heart. She didn't want to get revenge anymore. She was tired of fooling herself into thinking she could move on. She wanted him. She just wanted to hold Leonardo in her arms and never let go.

" Leonardo, I'm-" She slowly approached him and was about to touch his heaving shoulder when he turned back around.

" Just don't." He began to back away from her and headed for the stairs. " Just leave me alone."

Linda watched Leonardo run up the stairs, then dropped her teary eyes back down to the crowd in the doorway. The silence of the house dug deep into Linda's head, and she wished that the ground would open up beneath her and swallow her whole. Linda then found her gaze caught in Raphael's eyes, and she could see the return of that fiery anger that had frightened her years ago. Linda slowly backed down from Raphael's glare then ran back into the guestroom she had been sharing with Angie. She slammed the door behind her, and once inside the sanctity of the room, her tears finally broke through and she collapsed onto the bed in a sobbing mess.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

As Linda stared up into the spackled white ceiling above her, she tried to convince herself that the reason she couldn't sleep was because she was nervous about her flight to Japan, which would be taking off in nine hours. But Linda couldn't fool herself. She knew the real reason why she had been tossing and turning all night. Leonardo's words still echoed in her head, and the look of sadness that was in his tear filled eyes made Linda's heart swell, but the more she thought about it, the anger she had been collecting over the months was slowly returning. That part of her wanted to climb up the stairs, burst into his room and scream at him. For Linda, it was hard being under the same roof as Leonardo.

Linda rolled over and looked at the little red numbers on the clock beside the bed and let out a moan when she saw the time. " God, it's three in the morning." She then decided that she would feel better if she went outside and got some air.

Linda flung her legs over the side of the bed. She yawned, then stood up and opened the bedroom door. She peered though the small crack and into the quiet darkness of the house. Linda took one step onto the wooden floor of the foyer, then pulled back as a chill passed into the sole of her foot. She turned around to grab her gray hooded knit sweater and then realized that Angie wasn't in the room. Linda figured she was sharing Mandy's room, and Linda didn't blame her for doing so. Their friendship had suffered during the past few months after Angie revealed to her that she had helped Leonardo get back on his feet, and Linda took that as Angie taking the turtle's side. Linda's friendship with the other turtles had gone downhill as well. She hardly talked to any of them anymore, and she knew it was because of the way she lashed out at Leonardo. Michelangelo seemed to be the only one would approach her without judging her for her words and actions, but even he would keep a distance from her at times.

Linda pulled her sweater over her arms and up her shoulders as she walked silently through the foyer. She stopped at the foot of the staircase, and it took everything she had to stop herself from climbing those stairs. Her head suddenly filled with all of the things she wanted to shout at him, which in turn made her temper flare up. Linda took a step back, shook her head, and decided against it. She had made Leonardo suffer enough. She had to move on.

Linda continued through the foyer and into the dining room. It was then she noticed that the heavy glass patio door was open. Another chill passed through her as the cold February breeze blew off the ocean and into the house. As she wondered who had left the door open, Linda stuck her head outside and looked around on the porch, and saw no sign of anyone. She moved farther out onto the porch and heard the angry roar of the rising ocean tide below her. Linda shivered as another breezed pass by, catching the ends of the wind chimes and causing them to call out in a distorted mix of vocals. She pulled her sweater tightly around her and held it shut with her crossed arms, then walked to the top of the staircase. As she looked down at the beach, she saw a lone figure sitting on the shoreline with his knees drawn up to his chest. He was staring out into the ocean, and Linda watched as the crashing tide came within inches of his bare feet. Linda knew instantly it was Leonardo down there, and all of the hateful things she had wanted to say to him came back to her as she descended down the stairs.

Leonardo felt a shiver travel down his spine as the ice cold waters of the Atlantic hit the tips of his toes. He pulled the open ends of his navy zip-up hooded sweatshirt closer to his body, but it wasn't enough to block out the freezing wind as it cut through the coat and hit the bare green skin underneath. Leonardo shivered again as he tighten his arms around his knees and laid his head down, again wondering what had drawn him outside and into the wintery night air. All he knew for certain was that he hadn't been able to sleep all night, and it was all because of Linda.

Another wave of tears began to fall down his already stained cheeks, and Leonardo growled as he wiped them away. He had already cried out every ounce of pain and heartbreak from his body, and he didn't think he had anything left. Leonardo didn't even know what the new tears were for now. He had experienced so many emotions over the past few hours, everything from hurt to anger to confusion, and Leonardo was sure there was nothing left to feel.

The shivering that shot through his body increased, but Leonardo didn't care anymore. He lifted his head and stared back into the black water, suddenly wishing that a huge wave would crash down on him and carry him out to sea. Leonardo then let out a small laugh through his tears, knowing that finding an easy way out was not how he did things. But as his thoughts turned back to Linda, the fear of facing her made him wish that an easy way out existed.

Leonardo had held back the urge of going into the guestroom where Linda was sleeping as he descended the staircase inside the house. After the incident early that night, Leonardo couldn't even bare to look at her, let alone talk to her. There were so many things to say, so many things that he wanted to get out in the open and resolve. Even if Linda was leaving for Japan, Leonardo wanted to make her listen to him, only so he could clear his own conscious. Then, after Linda was gone for good, Leonardo planned on moving on with his life and never looking back.

When Leonardo reached the beach, he had planned on meditating, trying to bring some peace and balance back into his mind and soul. But every time he began to ascend into the depths of his mind, Linda was there and seeing her face made him jump back to the roaring ocean in front of him. After several failed attempts, he gave up, knowing that his emotions had gotten the best of him, and he remained there on the nearly frozen sand, staring into the darkness of the ocean water, and waited for the sun to rise on a new day, one where he could start all over again.

A faint sound of crunching sand in the distant made Leonardo's body go rigid. He watched the steam of his breath disappear into the night as he listened for the sound again. Another set of steps echoed from behind, Leonardo could sense a presence on the beach with him, but instead of moving, he remained still and silent, letting his heighten ninja senses take over. He closed his eyes as his mind picked up on mixture of sadness and anger that suddenly filled the air. His head turned slightly as the footsteps moved closer then stopped, and Leonardo could feel that the other person knew he sensed that they were there. The breeze past by Leonardo's face again, and he sniffed the air, picking up the salt of the ocean, the dampness of the sand beneath him, and a faint hint of hibiscus. Leonardo's eyes flew open as panic set into them, and they began to grow in fear. Linda was there with him.

Linda paused for a moment, but it was too late. Leonardo had already heard her footsteps, and from the tension she could feel coming from his body, he already knew it was her. She held her arms around her chest, and the wind whipped her hair in front of her eyes, but she held her gaze on the back of Leonardo's head. She was only ten feet behind him, close enough to touch him, but Linda's anger kept her too far away from his heart. Linda then heard Leonardo take a deep breath, releasing it out very slowly, and watched as his body relaxed. He was letting his guard down, as if telling her it was okay to speak. Only Linda couldn't find the words, and as she went back through what she had prepared to say, Leonardo spoke first.

" What are you doing out here?" His tone was very soft and calm.

Linda suddenly felt confused by Leonardo's voice, which gave no hint of anger or sadness. After a brief pause, Linda said the first thing that came to her mind.

"What about you? It's not even twenty degrees out here. You're going to freeze."

It was then Leonardo's turn to feel confused. He blinked his eyes and shook his head, wondering why Linda suddenly cared if he froze or not. " I'm alright. What about you?"

" I couldn't sleep. I needed some air." Linda blurted out. Leonardo then let out a low chuckle, signaling to Linda that he was out there for the same reason. She then looked down at the sand beneath her bare feet and smiled to herself. It had been so long since she and Leonardo had been on the same wavelength, which was what drew her to him in the first place. Linda never thought in her wildest dreams that they would ever have that kind of connection ever again.

Linda then snapped out of her daydreams and her anger took over. " Why are being so nice to me? Are you playing mind games with me, because it won't work!"

Leonardo sighed in frustration at Linda's temper and released the hold on his knees. " No, I'm not playing mind games with you. I just want to carry on a conversation that doesn't involve screaming and yelling. I want to talk like normal adults do."

"Normal adults?" Linda repeated. " Are you saying that I've been acting childish?"

Leonardo's jaw dropped, and he growled he jumped to his feet and turned to face Linda.

" Why do always insist on twisting my words around? That's not what I said and you know it!"

" I know you didn't say it," Linda replied sarcastically. " But I know you were thinking it!"

Leonardo grabbed his head then rubbed his face with his hands. " It's like I've gone back ten years and I'm arguing with Raphael all over again." He mumbled to himself, then raised his head back to Linda. " And just what makes you think that you know what's going on inside my head? You don't know me anymore, so stop pretending like you do!"

" You're right. I don't know you anymore. I already told you that." Linda said as she watched Leonardo pace around in the sand. " And now it seems that even _you_ don't know who you are."

" What?" Leonardo stopped pacing and gave Linda a blank stare, trying to understand what she had just said. " What are you talking about?"

Linda rolled her eyes. " Oh, please! You know exactly what I mean! One day I see you in a drunken stupor, acting like everyone is out to get you, manipulating MY cousin to get back at ME, then I see you a few days later, walking around like none of it had happened! You're back to your old self and everything is fine again." Linda then glared at Leonardo. " Next to Christina, you are the most two-faced person I've ever met!"

Leonardo gasped at Linda's comment. " First of all, I'm not two faced, and you know that for a fact! Secondly, yes, I was messed up, but it was only because I was holding in all of my anger and bitterness toward you that I lost sight of who I really was! It was me, not you, who I was really angry at, and it took everything I had to overcome that anger and realize what I was doing to myself and everyone around me!"

Linda felt her arms drop down and the hate fell away from her eyes. All of that time she had thought that Leonardo was lashing out at her for hurting him when in fact Leonardo was angry with himself. Linda then felt more confused then ever and turned her back to Leonardo, who continued to talk to her.

" Don't get me wrong, Linda. I was still upset with you for going behind my back and doing what you did." Leonardo's voice then lowered down to a normal tone. " I just couldn't understand why you didn't just come to me and tell me you were planning on joining the Foot to get to your father. I would have helped you. We could have done it together."

The tears began to pour down Linda's face, and she did nothing to hide her sobbing. She felt so ashamed of herself at that moment, suddenly wishing she could back in time and stop herself from going through that old trap door that had led to the Foot's hideout, but then remembering she had done it for herself and her father, not for Leonardo.

" But, I guess that's just how things were suppose to happen. And I can't allow myself to dwell on the past anymore. It's done, and neither one of us can change what has happened."

Linda wiped at her running nose, but didn't turn around as she spoke. " It was supposed to happen that way? I thought you didn't believe in fate?"

Leonardo could see how upset Linda was, even without seeing her face, and it made his heart ache. " I didn't, but as I looked back in my life and finally noticed how everything has been connected, I now know that fate played a bigger part in my life then I wanted to believe it had." Leonardo watched Linda's shoulders shake from her tears and took a few steps toward her, pushing back his earlier thoughts and wanting nothing more than to touch her. " How do you think me and you ended up out here? It couldn't have been just a coincidence." He took a few more steps and began to reach for her upper arm, his heart beginning to full up with a new hope that he could once again hold her in his arms. Linda then suddenly turned around and smacked his hand away.

" So, just like that I'm supposed to take you back just because Angie and her stupid cards said it was written in the stars for us to be together!" Linda's tears were running like water from a faucet, and Leonardo stepped backwards as Linda moved toward him. He gulped back the lump in his throat as he stared at the fire that burned in her brown eyes.

" No, it's not that. I-"

" I'm sorry, Leonardo, but anger and pain just doesn't go away like that! You seem to have no idea how much you hurt me by acting the way you did." Linda took another step and leaned into Leonardo's face. " How can you stand there and tell me that everything that you did to me and my cousin were part of some grand scheme! That's not how real life works! The choices you make in life really do decided what happens in your future, and I do NOT regret the choice I made back then, and I sure as hell don't regret it now!"

Linda could see the tears started to well up in Leonardo's eyes, but it didn't stop her from getting her words out. " If I could go back and had to make that decision again, I wouldn't change a damn thing!" She again wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater as she backed away from Leonardo. " It was for my father that I made that choice. I didn't know what else to do! I had just lost my mother! I was scared and confused! I had nowhere to go if I had lost my father! And I knew that by making that choice, I was risking the chance of losing you. But if that was the price I had to pay to get my father back, then I would have to live with that!" Linda then lowered her eyes and closed them, watching the image of Shredder shoving his sword straight through her father. " I just never thought I would end up losing the one I had tried to help." Her sobs then returned, and she turned away from Leonardo once again. " But you also don't seem to understand that it killed me to leave you. I wanted to stay! I wanted to be with you! I was so blind by my love for you that I couldn't understand why you didn't want to be with me."

Leonardo then let his own tears fall as he watched Linda. " I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way. I'm sorry that I didn't give you the chance to understand."

"Yeah, well," Linda sniffed. " Like you said, you can't dwell on the past. What's done is done. Both of my parents are gone and I'm still alone." She then let out a small laugh as she cried, which surprised Leonardo. " I was so naive to think that fate had anything to do with all of this. Why would fate have to take my family away from me, then bring me back to here to face you again?" Her laughter increased and it was starting to scare Leonardo. " I think fate has a sick sense of humor." She then looked back at Leonardo and stopped laughing, then narrowed her eyes at him. " Well, I'm sure as hell not letting fate step in and make me fall in love with you again!" She began to turn, then looked back and smiled wickedly as she recalled the words Leonardo had once told her. " Believe me when I say I now know what it feels like to have someone grab a hold of your heart and squeeze it so hard that it bursts into a million pieces, because that is _exactly_ what you did to mine! And you are NEVER going to have a chance of doing it again!"

Leonardo, who was by that time was drowning in his tears again, watched as Linda turned to leave. He then finally grabbed onto her upper arm and held on tightly. " Please Linda! You can't do this to me! I can't let you go again!" He lowered his head and watched his tears hit the sand, then raised his eyes back to Linda and touched her face without thinking. " I need you, Linda. I want you in my life! I love you!"

Linda's own tears began to fall as fast as Leonardo's and she melted into his loving touch, but her anger quickly flooded back and she felt confused once again.

"No! NO!" Linda jerked her arm away and screamed as she shoved Leonardo backwards. " It's OVER! I don't want you anymore! Get that through your head!" Her body shook from her sobs as she backed away and her voice fell to a whisper "It's too late, Leonardo. It's just too late." Linda then pushed her face into her hands as she turned and began to run back toward the house.

Leonardo fell to his knees as he watched Linda leave, and the ache that had been nothing more than a flutter moments ago suddenly ripped through his entire body, and he collapsed forward toward the sand. He broke his fall with his hands, then placed one hand over his eyes and held the other on his bare chest over his heart. His tears soaked into the sand as they fell, and Leonardo gasped for air, feeling as if all of the oxygen in the atmosphere had suddenly disappeared. He remained there for a few more minutes, then flipped back over and stare back out the ocean.

_That's it?_ he thought to himself. _This is how it ends?_ _But I can't let it happen like this! I just can't let it end like this!_

Leonardo closed his eyes and began to surrender himself to his tears when he heard something fall onto the sand. He turned to see Linda on the ground, leaning over with her head to the sand and her face buried in her hands.Leonardo didn't hesitate for one second as he jumped to his feet and ran to her, skidding and spraying sand everywhere as he fell down next to Linda and began to pull her limp, sobbing body into his arms. Linda then realized what Leonardo was doing and began to strike at him with her fists.

" STOP IT!" She screamed. " LET ME GO!" Her voice cracked from her tears as she continued to hit Leonardo's chest as he tighten his grip on her. " Get away from me! Go...away."

Leonardo placed his right hand around Linda's head and stroked her hair as she finally gave up and melted into his body.

"I not letting you go." Leonardo closed his eyes and felt his love for her come flooding back into his heart. " Not now. Not ever again." He then pushed Linda back and brushed her hair away from her tear stained face. Linda then lifted her eyes to his, and all of her anger faded away into nothing. Then, after staring into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, Linda suddenly pushed her lips against Leonardo's and wrapped her arms around his neck. Leonardo passionately returned Linda's kiss and his hands moved down and encircled her waist. Linda then realized her tears began to flow again, and as she pulled back, she could see that Leonardo was crying too, and she smiled as she shared in his happiness.

" Please forgive me, Leonardo. I really do need you. I want to be with you more than anything." She said as she placed her forehead against his and caressed his face. " I love you."

"I love you too." Leonardo replied, then felt Linda pushed herself into him and their fiery embrace grew stronger. He then moved her lips down her face and around her neck as he lifted her up off of the sand. Linda clung to Leonardo tightly as she wrapped her legs around him, and they continued to kiss as Leonardo carried her up the stairs, and back through the house.

* * *

Linda sighed as she opened her eyes and stretched her bare arms out, then looked at the empty bed space next to her. A single red and yellow hibiscus flower laid on the white sheet, and Linda smiled lovingly at it as she picked it up and brought it to her nose. She felt a few water droplets on the petals and knew it had been picked just hours ago by its still sweet aroma. She brought the flower down and caressed it against her cheek as her smile grew. The night she had shared with Leonardo had been everything she had wished for. Linda always expected Leonardo to be a emotional and compassionate lover, and he had proved that theory of hers during the four hours they shared together. Linda then looked over at the clock on the night stand, seeing that the time read ten thirty in the morning. Even though she only had two hours of sleep, she felt very alert, as if some dark cloud had been lifted from her head.

As Linda sat up, she noticed that her suitcases, which had been packed for the trip to Japan, were sitting next to Leonardo's dresser. She rose from the bed and walked over to them, determined to take a shower before she went downstairs. Linda then gasped as she discovered that her black suitcases were emptied, and she darted her eyes around Leonardo's bedroom. She brought her eyes back to the oak dresser next to her and pulled open the second drawer. In the drawer, neatly folded, were some of Linda's T-shirts. She then opened the other drawers and found the rest of her clothing. Tears of happiness came back into her eyes, and she knew that Leonardo was making sure that she stayed there with him. Linda grabbed a gray T-shirt and a pair of sweats, then headed for the connecting bathroom.

A wonderful smell hit Linda's nose as she descended the winding staircase and walked into the warm dining room. Splinter was sitting at the table, sipping his tea, and Linda smiled when she noticed he was reading the comic strips. He heard him chuckle at one of the strips as she took a seat across from him. He then looked up at her, then bowed his head as he spoke.

" Good morning, my child. You seem quite well this morning."

Linda couldn't stop the smile that lingered on her face. " Good morning, Splinter. I'm feeling absolutely great. Did you sleep well?"

" Yes, I feel very refreshed. After all, I have a long flight ahead of me."

Linda then bit her bottom lip. " Yeah, about that. I don't think I'll be going on that trip with you, Splinter. I'm sorry. Maybe next time, though."

Splinter reached across the table and patted Linda's hands. " It is unnecessary to apologize, my child. I already knew that you wouldn't be accompanying me."

Linda raised an eyebrow. " You did? How?"

Her answer came when Leonardo walked into the dining room, whistling and wading up a fists full of lint and dryer sheets. He started to walk past her, but then bent down and kissed the base of her neck. Linda froze as her eyes went back to Splinter, and Leonardo laughed softly as he felt Linda's body tense up. He then moved his mouth up and whispered into her ear.

" Don't freak out. He knows."

Linda let out a nervous laugh, then turned around as Leonardo dumped the contents of his hand into the trash can, then moved to the sink. Linda rose up from the chair and leaned over the counter as she watched Leonardo wash his hands.

"So, he knows everything?"

Leonardo smiled and felt a blush in his cheeks. " Well, not everything. I didn't go into detail."

Linda laughed with him and continued to watch Leonardo as he dried his hands. " Did you even sleep?"

"No," Leonardo looked into Linda's eyes and touched her cheek. " I couldn't. After you fell asleep, I just laid there and watched you. My eyes refused to close." He then moved over to the oven and grabbed an oven mitt from its hook on the wall. " Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

Linda laughed as she pushed her hair behind her ears. " Backwards from what I've been told." As Leonardo opened the oven, the wonderful scent of cinnamon that Linda had smelled earlier hit her nose. " What did you make?"

" Coffee cake. But I didn't make it." Leonardo replaced the oven mitt and lifted a empty white box into the air. " The bakery down the block did. I couldn't make something like that even if my life depended on it!"

Linda again laughed at Leonardo. " That makes two of us. I can barely boil water!"

Leonardo shook his head as he reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs and a package of sausage. " Well, I guess asking you to help me make breakfast is out of the question."

"I know how to break an egg." Linda said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

" Good." Leonardo dropped the egg carton into her open palm and leaned in closer to Linda. "And, by the way, that sassy little attitude of yours in a complete turn-on."

Linda's mouth dropped in shock. She had never known Leonardo to be so blunt, and it made her slightly embarrassed. She then rolled her eyes, then smiled as she smacked Leonardo's shoulder. Leonardo playfully shoved Linda, then lit the burner on the gas stove. Linda cracked several eggs into a large glass bowl, then whipped them with a whisk.

" Are we going to break the news to everyone?" Linda asked as she poured the eggs into an iron skillet. She then looked up and saw an evil smile on Leonardo's face.

" Eventually." Leonardo lit another burner and placed another iron skillet over it. " I want to have some fun with them first."

"What?" Linda laughed at the devious look on Leonardo's face. " And how do you plan on doing that? I have a bad poker face."

Leonardo then raised his eyes to the ceiling and the sound of a shutting door echoed from the upstairs hallway. " Just follow my lead." Leonardo then took a sideways step, which put a great distance between them, and Linda muffled her giggles as she watched Leonardo's face drop into a hateful frown. She then took a deep breath and took on the same appearance.

Their first victim then appeared. Raphael yawned and rubbed at the back of his head as he staggered into the dining room. He grunted his usual morning hello at Splinter, then turned for the freshly brew pot of coffee. As he pour the liquid into his black mug, he looked up at Leonardo, then did a double take when he saw Linda standing next to him . He dropped his half filled coffee mug down and narrowed his sleepy eyes at them.

" Alright! What's goin' on?"

Leonardo threw Raphael a disgusted look and spoke in a angry tone. " What does it look like we're doing? We're cooking."

Raphael made a face at the attitude Leonardo had given him and went back to filling his coffee mug without removing his eyes from them. After he had replaced the pot, Raphael took a deep breath.

" I meant what's goin' on with you two?" He moved his index finger back and forth. "What is this?" Leonardo and Linda threw each other dirty looks as Linda moved to the sink.

"It's not what you think it is, Raphael." Linda said as she laid a thick layer of hate into her voice as she had done the days before.

Leonardo then turned around and gave Linda another hateful look as they switched places. " We just made a decision to tolerate each other while Linda is still here, only for the sake of you and the rest of the household."

Raphael continued to watch them as they exchanged exasperated sighs and evil looks, but he could feel that there was something else going on. He picked up his coffee mug and moved to the table, taking a seat on the side against the wall next to Splinter. His eyes then stayed fixed on Leonardo and Linda as he slowly sipped his coffee.

After Raphael had settled in his chair, Mandy and Angie appeared. Mandy stretched her arms up and yanked at her messy ponytail as she flopped down across from Raphael. She flipped her head over and combed through her dark blonde hair with her fingers, then replaced her hair tie. When she sat back up, Mandy found Raphael's eyes burning through her.

" What the heck is your problem?" Mandy asked in her usual grumpy morning tone.

Raphael sipped his coffee and laughed. " You are. You're gettin' your dirty hair all over the table."

"Whatever!" Mandy leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. It was then that she noticed Raphael was still looking in her direction. She was about to say something when she saw Angie staring into the kitchen, her eyes wide open. " What is up with you guys?" She then turned her head around, then quickly looked back at the table, her eyes wide with shock as Raphael laughed again.

A few minutes later, Michelangelo bounded down the stairs. Behind him, Donatello had a hold of Vanessa's left arm as he helped her down the stairs. Michelangelo waited until they had both reached the bottom step, then walked with a spring in his step as he entered the dining room, then rose his hands up to greet everyone.

"Good morning, everyone!" He shouted joyfully. " How's everyone feeling- AHHHH!" Michelangelo took a step back as Leonardo and Linda came out of the kitchen and began to set the table.

" Excuse me, but the forks go on the RIGHT side!" Leonardo went behind Linda and rearranged the silverware.

"Well, _excuse me,_ but I'm left handed! I put them on the left side!" Linda then sighed heavily as she pushed Leonardo as she walked past him. " Why do you have to be so particular about things! Finish the damn table by yourself!"

Michelangelo eyes stayed glued to Leonardo as he rolled his eyes and slammed down the white and green ceramic plates as he continued to set the table. He took another step back, running into Donatello and Vanessa.

" I think I'll go back to bed." Michelangelo went around Donatello, who then grabbed Michelangelo's shirt collar and pulled him back. Donatello patted Michelangelo's shoulder, then pushed him toward the table. The nervous turtle gulped loudly as he sat down next to Mandy. Donatello took his place next to Angie, while Vanessa scooted her growing belly behind the table and sat down next to Raphael, who had not moved his eyes from the fighting couple in the kitchen.

"What are they doing?" Vanessa asked Raphael in a hushed tone. " Why are they even around each other?"

Raphael set his coffee mug down and leaned back. "There's somethin' funny goin' with them." He then studied Leonardo face closely. " I _know_ he's hidin' somethin'! I can see it in his face." Raphael then leaned back over the table and knocked on it with his fist. " Hey! Down in front!" Donatello, Angie, Mandy and Michelangelo all turned around to face Raphael. " Could ya guys not try to look so obvious? Sheesh!"

As Raphael leaned back, the four of them remained faced forward. Only Michelangelo would peek back time to time, still not sure of what he was seeing. It then remained silent as Leonardo and Linda placed the finished breakfast down on the table and sat down at the head of the table on opposite sides, avoiding all eyes contact with each other. For a second, no one dared to move, until Leonardo spoke up.

"Are you guys not hungry?"

All at once, everyone shook their heads and said various versions of the word 'no', began to reached for the food in front of them, except for Raphael, who remained still. Linda eyed the pitcher of orange juice that sat between Leonardo and Michelangelo and pointed to it.

" Michelangelo, could you pass me that, please?"

" What? You couldn't have asked me?" Leonardo said sharply.

Linda then glared at him. " I want it passed to me, not _thrown _at me!" The sound of forks hitting the ceramic plates echoed up to the ceiling as a few sets of eyes grew wide. Even Leonardo was taken by surprise, and Raphael could have swore he saw a smile trying to take form on his oldest brothers' face. Leonardo then looked back down at the pile of scrambled eggs on his plate.

" What's this?" He said as he pulled a small white object out of the eggs. " An eggshell? Who taught you how to cook?"

"Well, if it bothers you that bad, do it YOURSELF next time!" Linda slammed down her napkin and scooted her chair backwards.

" I never even asked for your help!" Leonardo then also scooted his chair back. " You just swooped in and took over everything like you always do!"

" Are you saying I'm controlling!" Linda stood up and gasped. " I think you need to take a good look at yourself sometime!"

" I'm getting scared!" Michelangelo said as he buried his face into Angie's shoulder.

Leonardo slowly stood up. " You're right! I am controlling!" He then moved a little closer to Linda. " And, now, I'm going to take control of this situation and make _you_ shut up!"

Everyone gasped at Leonardo's words and watched in fear as Leonardo's hand rose up into the air.

" Leo!" Donatello shouted and stood up, as did Michelangelo and Angie.

" Don't you dare touch her!" Angie yelled.

Leonardo and Linda turned their heads, shared a quick glance with each other, then they fell into each other's arms as they both erupted in fits of laughter. Raphael then stood up and pointed.

" I knew it! I knew there was somethin' funny goin' on!"

Angie grabbed her chest as her heart rate began to slow down. " I didn't find anything funny about that!"

A big smile then grew on Michelangelo's face as he watched with a newfound excitement as Leonardo and Linda hugged. " Does this mean you guys are-"

Leonardo looked into Linda's eyes. " Maybe." Linda then playfully smacked Leonardo's shoulder as she laughed, then grabbed his face and kissed him.

"WOOHOO!" Michelangelo said as he jumped into the air. " I take back what I said yesterday. _Today_ is the greatest day of my life!" He then grabbed Leonardo and Linda and squeezed them tightly.

Raphael sat back down, then looked over at Vanessa as she sniffled and wiped at her eyes with a napkin. Vanessa noticed the weird look Raphael was giving her and she smiled.

" Sorry. It's the hormones."

Raphael then laughed then kissed Vanessa's temple. " If ya say so." He then watched as Linda moved her chair closer to Leonardo. As he continued to look at the happiness in his brother's eyes, he then noticed something else, and his laughter returned.

" So, Leo," Raphael said with a wicked smile. " What's it feel like ta not be a virgin anymore?"

The sound of dropping silverware returned, and was joined by a spray of coffee from Donatello's mouth and orange juice from Michelangelo's. Leonardo sank down into his chair, feeling the flush growing on his cheeks, and moaned as he buried his face into his hands.

" Thanks a lot, Raph."

* * *

"Bye Splinter! Have fun!"

"Bring me back something!"

"Can it, Mikey!"

Leonardo placed the last suitcase into the back of his scratched-up Jeep and lowered the back hatch down. Donatello helped Splinter into the front seat, closed the door, then jumped in the back seat. Leonardo gave Linda another kiss, then climbed into the front seat and started up the Jeep.

As they pulled out of the driveway and stopped at the street, Donatello then noticed something odd. A mutant and a human, both dressed in similar dark colored outfits, entered the cream colored house and slammed the door shut.

" Hey, Leo," He then pointed to the house. " When did we get new neighbors?"

Leonardo leaned back into his seat as he stared across the street. " I don't know. I don't remember seeing any moving trucks or anything." He then noticed that all of the windows were barred up and the drapery was drawn tightly shut. " They don't seem to be too friendly either."

Leonardo then looked both ways, and pulled the Jeep out onto the street. Donatello kept his eyes glued to the house as the drove past it, not braking his stare until it was out of his sight.

* * *

"Should we strike them now, sir?" The dark haired human spoke to Dr. Gershin in German. " We are running out of time!"

"You don't think I'm aware of that?" The doctor screamed as he swiped at the human with his claws. " But we can't. Not yet! We must wait for that hybrid to be born!" Dr. Gershin then moved back to window and watched the two mutant turtles, the pregnant mutant fox, and the three girls walk back into the house. " There is always something else that must complicate things! I'm running out of patience!"

Dr. Gershin then squeezed his hands into fists and growled in frustration.


	21. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Ihre Gefangennahme ist bevorstehend! Schicken Sie ihm alle zum Boden! (Their capture is imminent! Burn it all to the ground!)

_An explosion rocked the house, followed by the sounds of gunfire_

What is going on? What was that sound?

_Another blast of gunfire made Angie's eyes open up wide. She looked around through the dark of the bedroom, listening to the voices that had haunted her for weeks._

Gehen Sie! Ergreifen Sie sie! Lassen Sie sie entkommen nicht!

(Go! Seize them! Do not let them escape!)

_Angie then jumped to her feet and ran to the bedroom door as it flung open by itself. She watched in horror as a team of demonic figures dressed in black broke through the windows, sending sprays of ammunition into the walls. _

Übergeben Sie zu uns jetzt oder wir werden Sie töten, wo Sie stehen!

(Give yourselves up now or we you will kill where you stand!)

_She then saw four turtle creatures, dressed as ninjas, begin to fight the group of demons. Gunfire rang out over her head, and she watched as the demonic creatures suddenly multiply in number and grew in height. Angie tried to call out to the turtles, but found she had no voice._

We need to get her upstairs! Hurry! Grab the IV's!

_A white light flashed in front of Angie's eyes and she suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe. She wrapped her hands around her throat and fell to her knees as she gasped for air._

Hurry up! We're losing her!

_Angie then fell to the floor and laid her head down, clawing the floor as she felt her life force drifting away. She flipped her body over onto her back and looked up at the bright lighting above her. She could hear the shuffling of feet and the beeping of a dying heart, which then faded away into nothing. Angie grabbed her chest, and closed her eyes as tears began to pour out._

We've done all we can. She's gone.

_When Angie reopened her eyes, she was back in the fiery house. She pushed herself onto her knees and began to crawl through the thick smoke toward the turtle creatures. Another round of gunfire made Angie drop to the floor and she covered her head. Then it was silent. Angie looked up, then cried out in despair. Staring back at her were Donatello's lifeless hazel eyes. She reached out to touch his face, but was stopped by an enormous black boot. She looked up at the mutant tiger, then shut her eyes as he rose his rifle to her face._

Dies ist das Ende. Sie gehören alle mir jetzt

(This is the end. You all belong to me now.)

Angie shot up in her bed, and gasped for air as she looked around the darkness of her apartment bedroom. Her eyes then met with the sleepy gaze of her cat, who meowed, as if asking her if she was alright. Angie placed her face into her hands, trying to hold back the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

" Please don't let me be right. Please don't let this happen."

* * *

Raphael stood in silence as he stared down into the gray headstone in front of him. He shifted his weight as his eyes reread the bold black inscription: 

OUR BELOVED FRIEND AND ALLY

ANDREA LESLIE-RENEE SILVER

BORN MARCH 23RD 1952 DIED SEPTEMBER 14TH 1991

HER HEART AND HER BRAVERY WILL

NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

Raphael took a deep breath, then watched Vanessa as she rubbed the stone with her hand, then lean over and kissed its cold surface. Raphael then handed her the bouquet of white lilies he had been holding and Vanessa laid them down on the ground.

"Happy birthday Aunt Leslie." Vanessa whispered to the stone as she let the tears drop down her face. She looked back up at Raphael, who was also teary eyed, and reached up for his hand. He slowly pulled Vanessa to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, and they continued to stare into the headstone. After a few minutes, Raphael turned his head to Vanessa and smiled, then they began to walk back down the hill of the city's war memorial cemetery.

" Andrea," Raphael whispered loudly, which scared Vanessa out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"I like that name. Do ya think we could call the kid Andrea, after your aunt?"

" How are you so sure it's a girl?" Vanessa placed her hands on her hips as they reached Raphael's car. " You wouldn't even let me show you the ultrasound pictures."

Raphael reached into his jeans pockets for his keys and unlocked the passenger door of the car. " I just gotta a feelin', that's all." He then winked at Vanessa and helped her in. He then moved to the drivers side and started up the engine. The car went down the winding cemetery hill, then stopped at the large red STOP sign, and Raphael waited for the traffic to pass.

" So, where to now?"

Vanessa suddenly felt a dizzy rush push into her head and she placed her forehead into her hands. " Home. I'm not feeling too good all of the sudden." She then felt a small pain shoot through her abdomen, but ignored it as Raphael steered the car onto the busy city streets. Another, more intense pain then ripped through her and Raphael watched as Vanessa winced in pain.

" Hey, are you okay?" He reached over to her with his right hand and grabbed her shoulder.

" Raph, we need to get to the hospital." Vanessa said calmly, then suddenly screamed as the pain intensified. She grabbed onto her abdomen and leaned forward.

Raphael slammed on his brakes, causing his car to swerve into a parked car. " You can't be goin' into labor yet! It's too early! You still got three weeks left!"

Vanessa grabbed onto Raphael's shoulder as again screamed. " Don't you think I don't know that!"

"Okay, calm down and breath with it!" Raphael said calmly as he got Vanessa to did the breathing technique they had learned in her labor classes. " The hospital's only four blocks from here. We'll be there soon." Raphael sat back down and pulled his car into traffic without looking, which caused several vehicles to honk their horns, and he navigated his way through the crowded city streets.

* * *

"Man, it feels so awesome to finally get outside!" Mandy exclaimed as she skipped ahead of Michelangelo and looked around at the vast array of trees that covered Central Park. 

"Take it easy there lady," Michelangelo said as he reached for her arm and pulled her back. "Try to keep yourself on the down low."

"I can't help it!" Mandy pull off the ball cap that was on her newly dyed brown hair and threw it into the air. " I've been cooped up inside of that house all winter long and I want to enjoy myself! WOOHOO!" Mandy then took off running as Michelangelo went after her. Behind them, Leonardo and Donatello shared a laugh.

" So much for keeping a low profile." Leonardo said as he tighten his grip around Linda's waist.

"Mikey now knows what we had to go through with him when we were younger." Donatello laughed again. He then stopped and looked around. " Where'd Angie go?" The three of them turned around, and saw Angie walking slowly behind them with her head down and her hands clasped together. Donatello sighed, then walked back to her.

"Everything is going to be okay." Dontello reassured her for the hundredth time as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her sad eyes. " Nothing is going to happen to any of us. It was just a dream, that's all."

Angie lowered her gaze back down to the ground. " I can't help it, Don. All of my premonitions have been coming true lately." Donatello watched as the sidewalk under their feet became wet with Angie's falling tears. " I'm just so scared."

Donatello said nothing as he pulled Angie closer and held onto her tightly as her body shook. He raised his eyes to Leonardo and Linda, then laid his head on top of Angie's.

* * *

"God, it hurts! Why does it hurt like that!" 

Vanessa wailed in pain again, squeezing Raphael's right hand tighter.

" Don't get stressed out! Just breath with it!" Raphael winced as Vanessa's grip crushed his hand again. He looked over the blonde haired female doctor and the many nurses who were scrambling around trying to get Vanessa hooked up to the fetal monitor. "Can't you guys give her somethin'? I'm about ready ta lose my hand!"

The blonde doctor looked up from her paperwork and glared at Raphael over her glasses.

"Raph, we can't until we know her exact condition."

"Her exact condition?" Raphael's jaw dropped as his voice rose. " She's freakin' havin' a baby! What else do ya need!"

"You need to calm down or you can leave!" The doctor said as she assisted one of the nurses with the readings on the monitor. " How far along did you say you were, Vanessa?"

"Thirty-seven weeks." Vanessa grunted as she tried to breath with Raphael. "She'll still be okay if she comes today, right?"

Raphael then smiled at Vanessa and ran his hand over her hair. "It really is a girl? I told ya I knew."

" Yes, she'll still be okay. We might have to keep her here for a few days, but she should be fully developed." The door of the room opened and another nurse pushed in an ultrasound machine, and the doctor quickly squirted Vanessa's belly with gel and started to move the probe around. Raphael, who couldn't see the screen, studied at the doctor's face, then moved his eyes back down to Vanessa.

" Just take it easy. Everythin' goin' be okay." He ran his hand over her Vanessa's hair again and then kissed her forehead. Vanessa slowly rose her other hand to Raphael's face and stared into his eyes, and Raphael could see the tears in them.

" Raph, there are just so many things I want to tell you, but, there's not enough time."

Raphael's face twisted in confusion. " What are ya talkin' about? We got the rest of our lives to talk about things!"

Vanessa patted his cheek. " Andrea is going to have such a great father." The tears then ran faster down her furry cheeks. " I love you."

Raphael searched Vanessa's eyes for the meaning behind her words. " I love you too, but why are ya sayin' stuff like that?"

Vanessa took a deep breath and was about to speak again when she grabbed her stomach and screamed from the intense pain while the beeping on the monitors began to increase. The doctor threw down the probe and began to yell at her staff.

"Quickly! We need to get her upstairs! Grab those IVs!"

"Why? What is goin' on?" Raphael asked as the panic in his voice increased.

" Call them and tell them to prepare for an emergency C-section!" The doctor said to a male nurse as she collected the papers from the fetal monitor and shoved them into her clipboard.

" Hurry people! We need to move!" The doctor then reached for the metal bars on the hospital bed when Raphael stepped in her way and screamed in her face.

" Nobody is goin' anywhere until YOU tell me what the fuck is goin' on!"

The doctor lowered her glasses from her green eyes and gave Raphael a cold stare. " I told you to calm done. If you don't, I will call security and have them drag your ass outside!" She then pushed her way around Raphael and helped two nurses push the bed out of the door. As they rushed down the hallway, Vanessa lifted her head up and reached out to Raphael, who was on the heels of the doctor.

" Raph," Vanessa called out weakly.

" I'm right here, babe. It's okay. Just relax."

When they reached the elevator, the nurses pulled in the bed as the doctor stopped Raphael from jumping in. He watched with wide eyes as the door closed in his face.

" What the Hell?" Raphael yelled. "What the fuck is your problem?"

The doctor then pushed Raphael into the opposite wall and gave him another cold stare.

" Now, you better listen to me. Vanessa's life and the life of that unborn child are in a lot of danger right now. If you want to go up there and be with them, you had better calm down right now!"

Raphael's evil gaze slowly disappeared as fear set in. He wanted to ask the doctor so many questions, but he couldn't get the words to come out of his mouth. The doctor then soften her face and patted Raphael on the shoulder as tears formed in his eyes.

" Everything will be okay. We are doing all that we can to save that baby. I just need you to be strong for Vanessa right now. Is there anyone you need us to contact?"

Raphael nodded as he wiped at his eyes, then let the doctor lead him into the elevator.

"Yeah, I gotta call my brothers."

The doctor patted Raphael arm. " I'll take care of that."

* * *

Angie sat silently on the grass and stared in the new leaves that were growing on the trees. She absentmindedly picked at the grass under her legs and flicked it aside. Linda and Mandy sat next to her, laughing together as they watched Leonardo and Donatello toss a football back and forth as Michelangelo tired desperately to tackle it away from them. After pretending to give up, Michelangelo then lunged at Leonardo, sending him to the ground, then quickly ran off with the football. Leonardo and Donatello chased him in circles, then trapped Michelangelo in between them. As they ran toward him, Michelangelo took a step back, and Leonardo and Donatello collided and fell to the ground. Michelangelo did a little dance then ran off again as his brothers regained their footing. 

" Those guys are such little kids!" Mandy said as she continued to laugh. A shrill beeping noise sounded from behind them, causing Mandy to jump. Linda turned around and picked up Donatello's pager.

" Donatello!" Linda waved the pager around in the air.

"Who could that be?" Donatello asked as he and his brothers neared the girls. Linda handed him the pager and watched as he made a confused face. " 911? Who the heck-?" Donatello's eyes then got wide as he looked at Leonardo.

" What is, Donnie?" Leonardo asked.

" It's Raph. That's the code I told him to send when Vanessa went into labor." He looked back at the pager and scratched his head. " But, she's not due for another three weeks. This can't be right!" Everyone then shared nervous glances when Michelangelo spoke up.

" What the heck is wrong with you guys? Let's go!" He pulled Mandy to her feet.

" There's a baby on the way!"

* * *

" Okay, I'm making the incision. Make sure you watch those monitors." 

Raphael sat behind Vanessa's head, wearing the seafoam green scrubs that the other nurses and doctors were wearing, and calmly stroked Vanessa's hair. He look at her expressionless face under that sat under the oxygen mask and silently prayed for her. He took a deep breath as the tears streamed down his face, then leaned over and kiss her forehead.

" Just hang in there," Raphael whispered as he looked over at the heart rate monitor and the slow beeping noise it made echoed in his head. His eyes then went to the blue tarp that hung between him and where the doctor and nursing staff were, but Raphael's thought were so distance, their words were nothing more than mumbles.

"Doctor! Her blood pressure is dropping!"

Raphael snapped back to reality when the beeping increase rapidly, and he jumped back in horror as Vanessa's eyes flashed open and her body began to convulse. Raphael was then pushed aside as two nurses tried to administer another round of sedatives, but the beeping increased, and Vanessa's body lashed around.

" Get this baby out of here! NOW!" Raphael heard the doctor yell, and before he could even lay eyes on his daughter, the male nurse he had seen earlier wheeled her away, and Raphael was left feeling more confused about what was going on around him. All he do was stand back helplessly as Vanessa's body thrashed around and the beeping sound of her heart grew louder and faster, and he felt the room spin as the doctor spoke again.

" Hurry! We're losing her!"

* * *

"Hurry! We're almost there!" 

" What floor is the maternity level anyway?"

"I'll go ask."

Angie stood behind Donatello as she watched Linda stop a nurse, then moved her eyes around the low tiled ceiling above her. She suddenly felt the room spin and she fell into Donatello, who then turned around as Angie fell to her knees.

" Are you alright?" Donatello asked as he held Angie under her arms, then noticed Angie was gasping for air. " Ang? Angie!"

Angie's body slumped down to the ground as he hands went to her neck and her body shook violently as she struggled to breath. Donatello grabbed her again and looked into her eyes and saw the glazed-over stare in them.

"Angie! Come on! Snap out of it!" Donatello then held her tightly to his chest until she stopped shaking. As he pulled her back, Angie's limp head went backwards, but her eyes reminded open. Donatello looked up at his brothers, then at Mandy and Linda, all of which had been frozen in fear during Angie's fit.

" Okay, the Voodoo Lady is REALLY creeping me now!" Mandy finally said, breaking the silence.

" Angie?" Donatello patted her cheek lightly, then snapped his fingers over her still frozen eyes. He then held his hand over her gapping mouth, then looked at Leonardo and Michelangelo. " She's not breathing."

As they all began to panic, Angie suddenly took in a huge deep breath and sat up as she blinked her eyes. She slowly turned her head to Donatello and softly spoke as tears flowed down her face.

" She's gone."

Leonardo knelt down and looked into Angie's eyes. "Who's gone?"

"Vanessa."

* * *

"No! NO! NOOOOOOOOO!" 

Raphael screamed as he threw the female doctor to the floor and ran to Vanessa's side, grabbing her lifeless face into his hands.

" Come on, babe. Don't do this to me! You gotta be okay!"

Two nurses helped the doctor to her feet and she threw her broken glasses to the floor.

" Raphael! I'm sorry, but we did all we could do! She's gone!"

Raphael lowered his head onto Vanessa's furry shoulder, shaking his head back and forth, refusing to let his tears fall. The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him up.

" You need to think of that baby, Raph. You can't do anything for Vanessa now."

Raphael then turned his head to the doctor and his eyes burned straight through her. " You! You did this!" He then lunged at the doctor and pinned her to the wall. " You better bring her back right now or I'll kill you! Ya hear me? I'll KILL YOU!"

Just then, four armed security guards busted into the operating room and pulled Raphael back just as he threw his hands around the doctor's frail neck.

" Get your fuckin' hands offa ME!" Raphael shoved back two of the guards with his elbows, then kicked another in the gut before turning back to the doctor. " Bring her back RIGHT NOW!"

Raphael then felt a sudden sting in his shoulder, then turned to see the male nurse that had taken the baby out of the room with an empty syringe in his hand. Raphael dropped his hands from the doctor's throat then reached for the nurse.

" What the fuck did you just do!" Raphael squeezed the nurse's shoulders, then found he was losing strength in his arms. He then felt a numbness in his legs and he fell to the ground. As Raphael looked up, his sight began to become fuzzy. The guards then grabbed onto Raphael's limp body and began to drag him out of the room. Before he lost touch with reality, Raphael looked at Vanessa's lifeless body and reached out to her with his limp hand.

" Don't...leave... me..."

* * *

Leonardo held onto the Linda's hand tightly as they ran down the long twisting hallways of the maternity ward floor. Michelangelo was behind them, with Mandy holding onto his shoulders as she rode him piggy-backed, and Donatello brought up the rear slowly as he held onto Angie's hand, still worried about the episode she had experienced downstairs. They all rounded the corner and stopped at the long glass window that housed all of the newborns. Michelangelo let Mandy slide off his shoulders and they both pressed themselves against the glass. 

" I wonder which one is ours?" Michelangelo asked as they searched the plastic beds.

""We're going to go find Raph." Leonardo said to Donatello. " You guys stay here until we get back." He then pulled Linda around another corner and they disappeared from sight. Angie pulled Donatello over the glass next to Mandy and they both peered in.

" I don't see anything that's green, has a shell or even looks remotely furry!" Mandy said as she stood on her tiptoes and strained to see in the back of the room. She then pointed to one that was sitting on the scales as a nurse checked it's measurements. " Look at the hair on that baby's head!"

Michelangelo, Donatello, and Angie looked to where Mandy's finger was directed at and saw the head full of bright auburn hair.

" Damn! Look at that hair!" Michelangelo exclaimed, then looked at the blueish-pink skin under it. " But it ain't ours. It's human."

" They might have taken it to the neonatal unit, just to be sure it's okay." Donatello suggested as he turned away from the window and searched the hallway for Leonardo.

" I wish we knew what it was." Mandy said as she too turned around and crossed her arms over her chest. She then looked over at the visibly upset Angie. " Do you know what it is?"

" Sorry, my voodoo doesn't cover that!" Angie snapped as she walked away from the window and sat down on the floor across from them. Donatello moved over and sat down next to her and placed his arm around Angie's shoulders. She then looked into his eyes as her tears poured out again. " I can't believe Vanessa's gone."

" Now, come on. We don't know that for sure yet." Donatello said, not really wanting to believe Angie.

" I DO know! You should understand that by now!" Angie said as her sobbing increased.

" I can't help what I see, Don. Do you think I like seeing stuff like this!"

Donatello then grabbed her and held her tightly as she wailed into his shirt. " Okay, I'm sorry I said that. I just don't like seeing you upset. It kills me." Donatello then looked up at Michelangelo, who was staring at something down the hall. Donatello followed his brother's gaze and saw Linda walking toward them with tears in her eyes, while Leonardo held onto Raphael. Donatello pulled Angie to her feet, then they all joined together in front of the large window. Donatello saw the expressions on all three of their faces, and knew the words that were about to come out of Leonardo's mouth.

" She- she didn't make it." Leonardo's lip trembled as the tears ran down his face. A sudden silence seemed to take over the hallway as they all lowered theirs heads. Raphael closed his eyes, then finally let out all of the tears he had been holding in as the truth finally sunk down in his heart. He screamed out loudly, which scared everyone else around him, and they watched as he crashed in Leonardo's arms and cried uncontrollably.

* * *

Later that night, Dr. Littmen walked down the quiet, main hallway of the maternity ward as she pulled back her blonde hair and prepared herself for the difficult conversation she was about to engage in with the mutant turtle who had, just hours ago, tried to strangle her. She stopped in front of the inclosed waiting room, took a deep breath, then opened the door. Her eyes went first to Raphael, who was sitting in a chair on the back wall with his elbows propped up on his knees and his head leaned over into his hands, and he made no movement as she entered the room. Next to him was Leonardo, who continually rubbed his brother's shell with his left hand, and Linda's hands were wrapped tightly in Leonardo's right hand as her head settled into his shoulder. On Raphael's left side on the opposing wall sat Donatello and Angie on the floor, and Michelangelo sat under Mandy, who was cross-legged in the chair above him. 

Everyone's eyes, except Raphael's, went directly to the doctor as she entered the room and moved toward Raphael. Raphael's line of sight was glued to the speckled gray and white tiles below him, and his vacant stare refused to look up at the presence he felt in front of him. The doctor then shifted her gaze to Leonardo and extended her hand to him.

" I'm Dr. Carol Littmen. I am-" She then nervously cleared her throat. " -was- Vanessa's obstetrician."

Leonardo shook the doctor's hand and offered her a smile, but said nothing. The doctor then looked back at Raphael and threw all of her fears away as she knelt down in front of him.

" Raphael, there are a few things I need to discuss with you about what happened today."

Raphael said nothing at first, but then drew in a deep breath and spoke without looking up. " I don't wanna talk. Just leave."

Dr. Littmen exchanged a glance with Leonardo, then felt something bump into her back. She turned to find Michelangelo's hands around a chair and the doctor smiled as she stood up and allowed him to push it under her. Dr. Littmen then pulled Raphael's hands down and held them tightly as his head shot back up, and she found no emotion in his eyes.

" I need to ask you something. Did Vanessa ever tell you about her family? About her race in Africa?"

Raphael's eyes blinked as he wrinkled his forehead. " Not a lot. I never bothered ta ask."

" She never told you about how her people are slowly becoming extinct?" The doctor's words suddenly seemed to bring everyone else around them into the conversation.

" Extinct? What the hell are ya gettin' at?" Raphael said as he pulled his hands free.

The doctor sighed then spoke. " Her race has been around for thousands of years, and at one time their numbers were close to a million, but as time went on, as the world around them changed, as Africa was settled by Europeans, those numbers started to slowly diminish. Their bodies were slow to adapting with all of the environmental changes going on, and it was mainly in the females of her species that it was occurring."

Raphael leaned back in his chair, becoming a little impatient with the doctor's story as she continued.

" You see, when a woman becomes pregnant, it starts off a chemical reaction in the body, sending off hormones telling the body to change and adjust to the baby inside. But with Vanessa and the rest of her people, this reaction doesn't take place, and the chemicals in their bodies start to fight off the invader, which, of course, is the baby, and it kills the offspring. But if that baby's own chemical makeup is stronger than then mother's, the baby then starts it's own reaction and, over time, it causes the health of the mother to deteriorate."

Donatello then interrupted. " So, since Raph's chemical makeup is different than Vanessa's, that's what helped the baby survive?"

The doctor nodded. " Yes, I'm afraid that's what happened." Her eyes then went back to Raphael's face. " After Vanessa told me all of this, I tried to convince her to abort the baby," She then saw the anger returned to Raphael's eyes. " I'm sorry for saying that, but I was thinking about her safety. But Vanessa refused to have the procedure done. She wanted that child more than anything, no matter what the cost. I just don't understand why she didn't explain any of this to you. I'm sure you noticed her health going downhill over the past few months. She told me that some days she would sleep all day, or that she would barely eat."

Raphael turned his head away, feeling more tears in his eyes. " I just thought it was normal pregnancy stuff." He wiped angrily at his face. " I didn't know what was goin' on!" He then stood up and walked over to the window, then slammed his fist into the wall beside of it.

" Why didn't she fuckin' tell me! What was I suppose ta do!"

Leonardo then stood up and moved over to Raphael, then grabbed his brother in a tight hug as Raphael broke down again.

" Raph, it's okay." Leonardo then felt his own eyes watering. " I'm sure she wanted to tell you. But I think it was because she didn't to see you like this." Leonardo then pushed Raphael back and looked into his brother's eyes. " You need to think about your child now, Raph. You need each other now more than ever."

Mandy then perked up. " Is the baby okay? Can we go see it?"

Dr. Littmen rose to her feet and smiled. " Yes, she is a very strong and healthy baby, and she has quite a set of lungs on her!"

Mandy then gasped. " It's a girl? Cool!" She then waited for Michelangelo to stand up, then she jumped out of her seat and walked out the door. Leonardo waited until everyone had left before he spoke to Raphael.

" I'm really sorry, Raph." Leonardo gave his brother another hug. " I know how much you cared about her. I wish there was something I could do for you."

Raphael sighed as he looked into Leonardo's eyes. " Just bein' here is enough, Leo. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."

Leonardo smiled, then walked behind Raphael as they exited the room.

When they caught up with the rest of the group, Dr. Littmen grabbed Raphael's hands and pulled him along as they made their way to the back of the viewing room. The doctor stopped in a front of a wooden bassinet and Raphael peered down, seeing nothing but a pink hat and a several white blankets.

" Where is she?" He asked, feeling slightly embarrassed. The doctor smiled then reached in and pulled the bundle of blankets out. The rest of Raphael's family moved in closer as the doctor carefully set the bundle in Raphael's arms and pulled back the blankets, but the new found smile on Raphael's face faded away as he saw the pink skin of his daughter's face.

" Wait a minute. This can't be right!" He pushed the baby back toward the doctor. " This kid is human!"

Dr. Littmen looked at the chart that hung on the backside of the bassinet and shook her head. " That's your daughter, Raph. I should know, I delivered her. You were in there with me."

Raphael looked back at the sleeping baby's face and shook his head. He turned around to face Donatello, and Raphael could see in his brother's eyes that he had no explanation for the baby's appearance. Raphael placed the baby into Leonardo's hands, then began to open up the blankets. His heart raced as he found more pink skin under the blankets, and he counted the ten fingers and ten toes over and over again. Dr. Littmen moved over to them and gave Raphael a curious look.

" Is there something wrong?"

Raphael took a step back away from Leonardo and shook his head in disbelief. " No. She ain't mine. She can't be mine." He then took another step back. " Vanessa lied ta me. That kid ain't mine."

"Raph! Wait!" Leonardo called out as Raphael turned and ran out of the room. He turned back to the doctor and shook his head. " I'm sorry, Dr. Littmen. I think we were all expecting something, well, something a little more-"

"_Weird _looking!" Michelangelo jumped in as he watched the baby wiggle around in Leonardo's arms and a little puff of dark auburn hair poked out from under the pink cap. " Well, you can tell it's Vanessa's at least!"

Leonardo then sat the baby in the waiting arms of Mandy, then ran down the hallway to find Raphael, and he was relieved when he discovered he didn't have to go very far. Raphael was sitting next to elevators under a water fountain with his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him. Leonardo stood at the corner of the wall silently as Raphael sniffed back his tears and began to speak.

" I can't believe she lied about me bein' the father, Leo." Raphael lowered his eyes back down to the floor. " How could she do that ta me?"

Leonardo then sat down next to Raphael. " Raph, come on. You don't know that."

" Did you even get a look at that kid, Leo!" Raphael yelled as he pushed himself away from the wall. " That kid is human, up and down! And after everythin' Don told us about all that DNA shit, how can you sit there and tell me that she's mine!"

Leonardo turned his head away from the anger in Raphael's eyes and sighed. " I can't, Raph. I don't have an explanation for the way she looks. I'm just as confused as you are, as all of us are." He then looked back at his brother. " But we just can't abandon that baby, Raph. She doesn't have anyone else but us now."

" Well, we could take her to her _real_ father," Raphael mumbled under his breath.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes. " Come on, Raph. Don't act like that! Besides, do you really think Chad is going to take that baby with open arms?"

Raphael kept his eyes to the floor. " I'm sorry. I shouldn't had said that."

Leonardo then patted Raphael's shoulder and jumped to his feet, and offered his hand to Raphael, who hesitated at first, then allowed Leonardo to pull him to his feet.

As they walked back down the hallway, a blonde woman dressed as a nurse, picked up the receiver of the pay phone that hung on the wall, and punched in a few numbers. Then after waiting for another minute, she spoke into the phone in a whispered German accent.

" Doctor, I have news on the child. You are not going to believe this."


	22. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Another loud crack of thunder shook the house as Raphael continued to stare into the dimly lit foyer from his seat in the living room. He was so lost in the many thoughts that were running through his head that he didn't hear the rain as it pounded violently on the roof above him. He sighed then sunk down lower into the chair he sat in.

Linda was sitting on the couch facing Raphael, and as she looked up from Andrea, who was sleeping in her arms, Linda could plainly see the sadness and confusion that still sat heavily on the turtle's face, and it made Linda's heart ache for him.

It had been nearly three weeks since they had buried Vanessa, and Raphael had completely shut himself off from everyone, including his newborn daughter, who he still believed didn't belong to him, and Raphael wasn't shy about the distance he was keeping from Andrea. The rest of the household had shared in the caring for the baby, working in shifts throughout the day and night. Raphael had also let his grief overcome him so much that he quit his job, never left the house, and would sleep for days at a time, but no one dared to complain. They all knew Raphael was hurting deeply, and they just let him have his space.

Linda looked back down at Andrea, then carefully lowered her into the yellow and white bassinet that sat next to the couch. When she sat back down, Linda's eyes went back up to Raphael's face, and noticed he had still not moved. She then turned to Mandy and Angie, who were sitting on the floor under her looking through a pile of fashion magazines and quietly talking to each other. Every once in awhile, one of them would look up at Raphael, then move their eyes back down, each wanting to say something to him to cheer him up, but each had a loss of words for the turtle.

Raphael sighed again as he leaned his head back into the chair and allowed the sound of the rain outside to ring in his ears, and as he concentrated deeply on it, he closed his eyes slowly and begin to let sleep take over his body once more. Then suddenly, Raphael heard another noise come through the rain, and his eyes flew open. His looked around as he listen for the distant sound again, feeling slightly uneasy as to what he thought he had heard. For a few seconds, Raphael let his body relax, thinking that he was hearing things, but he then leaned back up from the chair as he again heard it. His actions attracted the attention of the girls sitting across the living room from him, but only Linda and Angie felt the sense of danger that Raphael did.

"Raphael? What's wrong?" Linda said in a low whisper. Raphael responded by holding up his right palm, and he slowly stood up and tiptoed across the tan carpeting to the open door frame. His eyes went to the large windows in the foyer as the sound echoed again, and Raphael could feel his stomach tense up, and he knew right then what he had heard: the sound of a clip being loaded into the base of a gun. Panic then swept through his body as the sound grew louder in his ears, and as he turned back to the girls, only Angie seemed to know what Raphael had heard, and he could see tears in her eyes as fear took over her body.

"They've found us." Angie whispered.

Raphael then flew back into the living room and started to collect Andrea's diapers and toys and haphazardly throw them into the diaper bag. Linda watched him for a second before she spoke.

" Raphael?"

"Get yer shit together! We gotta get outta here!" He stuff the baby's things down deeper into the bag and zipped it shut.

" What? Why?" Mandy asked, oblivious to what the other three were sensing. "What's going on?"

" Don't ask questions! Just fuckin' move yer ass!" Raphael screamed at her as he flung the diaper bag across his shoulder and helped Linda as she picked up Andrea and placed the still sleeping baby into a demin blue baby sling. Linda then tighten the strap on the sling, making sure the baby was snuggled tightly to her chest. Raphael looked back at Mandy and he could see that his harsh tone had frighten the young girl. He placed his hand to his forehead and sighed.

" Look, I'm sorry, but I ain't got time to explain." Raphael watched Mandy's face soften and Angie pulled her to her feet. Angie patted Mandy's shoulder, then they all followed Raphael back to the doorway. Raphael stopped and looked around, then began to take a step out into the foyer.

" NO! WAIT!" Angie cried out as she grabbed Raphael's arm, and just as she pulled him back, an ear piercing explosion blasted through the front windows, sending fire and glass towards them, knocking them all to the ground. Linda held onto the baby tightly as she fell, and winced at the pain in her left waist as she caught herself on the wooden floor. Raphael quickly regained his footing and pulled the girls up to their feet. He then surprised them all as he pulled back the front of the baby sling and smiled at the still sleeping infant inside.

Another explosion shot through the front doors and Raphael pulled all the girls toward his chest, using his shell to protect them from the flying debris. Then, it was suddenly quiet. Raphael released the girls and slowly turned around. It was then that his eyes met the glowing yellow eyes of a tall mutant tiger dressed all in black. Raphael then noticed the massive army behind him, consisting of humans and mutants, all dressed in the same black uniforms. The turtle narrowed his eyes at them as an angry rage coursed through his body. He huddled the girls behind him and prepared himself for the attack.

At first nothing was said, and the only noises that were made were the crackling of the fires around them and the rain that came down outside. The mutant tiger then took a step forward and the girls drew closer to Raphael's back.

"Ah, good evening, Raphael." Doctor Gershin growled in his German accent. " Ladies." He then bowed to them, but never removed his eyes from Raphael's face. He then smiled and chuckled. " Now, I really don't want to destroy this beautiful house any more than I already have. Just give yourselves up now and it will make things so much easier for you."

Linda could feel the anger rising in Raphael and she watched him clench his fists as he spoke.

" That might be fine for you, Doc, but I don't like takin' the easy way out." Raphael took a step up as he popped his knuckles and glared at the tiger.

"You are such a hardheaded fool, Raphael." The tiger laughed as he snapped his fingers. Raphael then watched as the army behind him cocked the semi automatic rifles they carried and lowered them toward him. Gershin laughed again as he returned Raphael's angry glare. " I don't think you really want to put the lives of those lovely _fraulines_ on the line just because you like to engage in hand to hand combat, my friend."

Raphael shook his head. " Okay, first off, I ain't your friend. Secondly, why the hell would I _even _consider givin' myself up to a Nazi like you?"

Gershin's eyes grew big. " What! How dare you call me a Nazi! How dare you compare me to the idiot Hitler!"

Raphael then noticed a few of the mutants and humans behind the doctor were giggling, and Raphael smiled, guessing that the words he had said had been used before. Gershin then turned around and faced the army as fire burned in his eyes.

"_Denken Sie, dass das lustig ist?_(Do you think that is funny?)" The doctor growled at them and bared his sharp teeth. "_Es wird so lustig nicht sein, wenn ich Ihre Augen aus zerreiße_! ( It won't be so funny when I tear your eyes out!)_ Schließen Sie jetzt es! _(Now shut it!)"

"_Ja Herr_.( Yes, sir)" The soldiers said in unison. Gershin growled again as he turned back to Raphael. " Now, where were we?" Gershin then found himself on the ground and a sting ripped through his jawbone.

"Well, I don't know about you, but _I _was goin' do that!" Raphael said as he pulled his fist back.

Gershin grabbed onto his jaw, remembering how another turtle had broken his jaw the year before, and the anger in the tiger's eyes burned brighter.

"_ERHALTEN Sie SIE! _(GET THEM!)" Gershin screamed as he jumped to his feet.

Before Raphael could think fast enough, gunfire rang out over their heads and he heard Mandy and Angie scream as they hit the ground. Raphael ducked down as a mutant took a swing at him with the butt of his rifle, but Raphael caught it, then freed the gun from the mutant's hands. Raphael brought the gun down on the mutant's head and knocked him out cold. He then threw it at two humans who were charging at him, and the rifle hit them both in their faces, also sending them to the ground. As Raphael laughed at his accomplishments, another mutant came up behind him and grabbed Raphael in a headlock, and Raphael instantly recognized the voice of the mutant dog that he had fought months ago.

"_Ich werde Sie diesmal, Sie mutierter Bastard töten_! ( I will kill you this time, you mutant bastard!)" The dog applied pressure to Raphael's throat with his arm and Raphael scratched at the dog's arm with his fingernails. Then suddenly, Raphael found he was released and the dog was on the floor. Raphael turned and saw Linda behind him, and she shook her head at him.

" You really shouldn't get so cocky with yourself, Raphael." She said as she hung on tightly the bundle in the sling.

" Okay, _LEO_!" Raphael joked, then ducked as more soldiers came at them. Raphael jumped up and delivered a kick to one while Linda did a back flip then a roundhouse to another, and between them they manage to knock out several black clad Germans. More gunfire rang out and Raphael then began to panic.

" Where's Angie and Mandy?" He asked Linda after she knocked out yet another adversary. Linda looked around as Raphael did, then pointed to the dining room. Both girls had ducked under the large oak table and were huddle together. Raphael could see the fearful tears rolling down Mandy's face, and it made his anger rise even more. He then grabbed Linda's arm as the ducked down from the flying bullets above their heads.

" We've gotta head for the bathroom," Raphael pointed to the hallway in front of them.

" The bathroom?" Linda asked then turned around to kick another human in the groin.

" Just get them and go. I'll cover yer backs!" Raphael then pushed Linda forward across the smoky foyer, and he could hear the bullets whizzing past his head. He was glad the smoke from the fires was blinding the Germans, but the fear of getting hit from a stray bullet kept him on edge, and he wanted nothing more than to get out of the house alive. But then, his fear came to life. Linda then suddenly screamed out in pain and fell forward, and Raphael could hear the scream of the baby under her.

" Shit! Linda!" Her turned her over and sat her up, noticing the blood that began to pour from her left thigh.

" I'm okay! Don't worry about me!" Linda pushed his hands away and reached down into the sling. Raphael also looked down, fearing the worst. Andrea looked back up at them, and Raphael swore he could see her smiling at him.

Another scream made Raphael and Linda look up, and through the fog, they could see a team of six soldiers had grabbed Mandy, and were in the process of pulling Angie out from under the table. Raphael jumped up, then fell back down as another stray bullet caught him in the shoulder. He cursed loudly as he fell back, and he held onto his shoulder, feeling his own warm blood oozing up from the wound. He laid his head on the floor as the pain grew throughout his body, and the chaos that surrounded him started to fade away. Linda crawled over to him, and her screams also faded as Raphael closed his eyes. For a moment, everything seemed calm to Raphael, but then a flash of light brought him back out of his pain induced dreams. Linda sat him back up and they stared in disbelief at the scene in front of them.

"Holy crap." Raphael muttered.

Angie was hovering over them, her eyes glowing white. The wind from the rain outside caught her long brown hair and it whipped around her face. She looked down at the Germans who had tried to restrain her and she held her hand to them, then began to tighten her fist. Raphael and Linda gasped as the Germans began to grab at their throats and coughed as if they couldn't breathe. Angie then lifted her closed fist, then as she slammed it back down, the Germans fell dead to the floor. Another wave of German soldiers ran toward her, and she shoved her hands at them, and they all flew back through the broken windows.

Another loud blast caused Raphael and Linda to turn away from Angie, and they gasped again. Mandy, who was helpless just a few seconds ago, was surrounded by orange and red flames, and she was tossing fireballs in every direction, setting the Germans ablaze. Raphael turned to Linda and could see the confusion in her that also sat on his face.

" Good thing they're on our side." He joked, which made Linda smile. " Come on. Let's go!"

They then began to crawl lower to the ground under the shield of smoke toward the bathroom as Angie and Mandy blocked the Germans from getting closer to them. Raphael flung the door open, then tossed back the green rug that covered the floor. Linda then watched in surprise as Raphael pulled up a trap door that led to a concrete passageway. Raphael looked up and laughed at the shock on Linda's face.

" We did this when we moved in. Just in case a bunch of whacked out Germans decided to blow up the place." He winked at Linda, and helped her into the hole and down the metal ladder. Raphael then looked up and found Mandy standing above him, and she was back to her normal self.

""I'll explain later." Mandy said with a smile, and Raphael laughed as he helped in down into the passage way. He then climbed to his feet and saw Angie standing at the edge of the hallway still in her trance. She lifted her hands and delivered another blast of white light, sending the gunmen back across the foyer. Angie then turned to Raphael, and the light faded from her eyes.

" Come on!" Raphael grabbed her hand and pushed her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Angie climbed down the metal ladder, then moved aside as Raphael jumped into the passageway. He checked to make sure everyone was accounted for, then he turned to a panel on the concrete wall. He punched in several different numbers on the keypad, and they all looked up as a steel paneling closed off the top of the hole, leaving them in total darkness. The girls then heard Raphael push another set of buttons, and the passageway was suddenly lit up in white lighting. Raphael looked around the long tunnel and nodded.

" Ya know, I make fun of Donnie a lot, but the guy's a freakin' genius!"

They all shared a well deserved laugh, then Raphael led them down the tunnel.

* * *

Back above ground, Doctor Gershin stepped outside in the rain as what was left of his troops filed out into the rain with him. The dark haired human that had been in charge of watching the Turtles house handed the doctor a map of the underground tunnel that his team had discovered just a few weeks ago, and a huge smile spread on the doctor's face. He then spoke to the human in their native tongue, giving him orders to clear away the bodies in the house, and Doctor Gershin jumped into his black Hummer. He looked into his mirrors as the rest of his team jumped into their twenty black vans, and they all pulled out of the half-circle driveway and onto the street.

* * *

"Can we _please_ stop for a second!" Mandy whined as the cramps in her legs increased as she, Angie, Linda and Raphael ran down the tunnel.

Raphael growled as he grabbed onto his shoulder, and pressed down onto his wound. The flow of blood had slowed down to a mere trickle, but Raphael knew if he removed the bullet that was still lodge in his arm, the blood would pour out, and he couldn't afford to pass out at that moment.

"How much longer is this tunnel, Raph?" Angie asked. Raphael looked over at her and he could see the tiredness in her eyes.

" We gotta another half a mile. This thing stretches ta the Beach Channel, and comes out right under the Cross Bay Bridge." Raphael answered as he pushed his body forward, cursing himself once again for not keeping up with his ninja training.

Raphael then looked over at Linda, who was limping right beside of him, trying her best to ignore the shooting pain in her thigh as she held on tightly to the sling. Raphael could also see the look of worry that was pulled over her face, and he knew that she was thinking of Leonardo.

" There's a phone down on the other end," Raphael called out, but mainly directed his words to Linda. " We'll get ahold of the guys and tell them not ta go ta the house." He then looked back at Linda and saw the small smile that appeared on her face.

No one spoke during the last stretch of the tunnel, mainly out of exhaustion, and they were all thankful to see the other metal ladder and a black phone that was built into the wall. Raphael jerked the receiver off of the hook and quickly dialed Leonardo's cell phone. The girls then saw him narrow his eyes as he slammed the phone into the wall.

" What's wrong?" Mandy asked as she began to tremble. Raphael raised his eyes to the squared metal door that stood between them and the bridge above.

" The line's dead."

Then the metal door exploded above their heads, and Raphael could hear a familiar evil chuckle as he shielded his eyes away from the blinding light that shone down on them. He then felt a sudden blow to the back of his head, and as Raphael fell to the ground, everything around him faded into darkness.

* * *

" Okay! I take back what I said before! _This day, _right now, is the greatest day ever!"

Michelangelo bounced around in the back seat of Leonardo's Jeep as he and his brothers headed across the Cross Bay bridge. He held up the tiny navy velvet box and peered into the one carat, heart shaped diamond ring that sat inside of it. " I can't wait to see Linda's face when you give her this, Leo!"

Leonardo shook his head, then motioned to Donatello to grab the ring back from their overly-excited brother. Donatello turned around his seat, and snatched the box from Michelangelo's hand before the turtle knew what he had done. Donatello then closed the box, dropped it back into the bag it had come out of, and held onto it tightly.

" I'm sorry, Mike, but you won't be around to see it." Leonardo talked as he looked at Michelangelo threw his rear view mirror. " It's going to be a private thing between me and Linda."

" Have you thought about how you're going to ask her?" Donatello said as he watched the windshield wipers push the rain back and forth.

Leonardo shook his head. " I have so many ideas. I just want to be special. Something that she'll remember forever."

Michelangelo leaned forward and slung his hands around the seats in front of him. " I heard that this one guy stuck it the bottom of a glass of champagne. And this other guy had some restaurant bake it into a piece of chocolate cake. And this other guy-"

" Okay, Mike." Leonardo interrupted. " We get it."

" I really don't think Leo wants to spend the night in the Emergency room while a team of doctors try to pull a five thousand dollar engagement ring out of Linda's windpipe." Donatello pointed out, making Leonardo laugh out loud. Michelangelo shrugged his shoulders, then leaned back into his seat.

" Thanks, anyway, Mikey." Leonardo smiled at his younger brother through the mirror. He then looked back at the road as he turned the Jeep off of the Rockaway Freeway and onto a side street that led to their house. Leonardo then suddenly slammed on the brakes, throwing Michelangelo into the front seats.

" Mikey!" Donatello cried out as he pushed his brother back. " What did I tell you about wearing a seat belt?"

"Not to do it cause it spoils your dinner?" Michelangelo joked then gave Donatello a goofy grin. The smile then faded as Donatello stared blankly back at him.

" Oh, come on! That was from _Tommy Boy_!" Michelangelo threw his hands up, then pointed his finger at Donatello. " I _know_ you liked it!"

Donatello smacked his forehead, then turned his attention back to Leonardo, who was slowly unbuckling his seat belt and opening the door as his eyes stared straight ahead.

"Leo?" Donatello followed Leonardo's line of sight, then finally noticed what his brother was looking at. Michelangelo gasped loudly then jumped out of his door after Donatello. They both joined Leonardo at the front end of the Jeep and stared in disbelief at the smoke that bellowed into the rainy sky above them. They then brought their eyes back down to the light gray colored, two story Victorian house that they all called home, and watched as several firefighters sprayed the destroyed entrance with water, smoldering the fires that shot out of windows.

"How...how did..." Michelangelo stuttered, finally feeling that he was at a loss of words. He gulped loudly then looked into his brother's tear filled eyes. Donatello inhaled his breath sharply as he turned his head to face Leonardo.

" Do you think-" He began, but his words disappeared as Leonardo dropped his head. Then without answering him, Leonardo took off down the wet street at top speed toward the house. Donatello and Michelangelo chased after him, but couldn't keep up with him. When they reached the driveway, they slowed down, and again stared into the smoke that poured out of the front of the house. Donatello then saw Leonardo talking to the fire chief, and he pulled Michelangelo with him as he walked. Michelangelo then noticed Raphael's Mustang, which was turned over on it's side with huge dents smashed into the sides and the windows busted out. He then saw his own car, which had the roof smashed in and the tires slashed, and he let out a high pitched shriek. Donatello also saw his brother's vehicle's, then gasped at the sight of his own truck, which was also turned over, and looked as if someone had taken several sledgehammers to it.

"Good thing you got full coverage, Donnie," Michelangelo joked as he saw the look of shock on Donatello's face, but stepped back as his brother threw him another dirty look. " I know, I know. Not the time for jokes, Mikey!"

They looked back over at Leonardo, who was shaking hands with the fire chief, and they watched with hopeful hearts as he walked over to them.

Leonardo sighed deeply as he looked back at the smoking house. " The whole front of the house is completely destroyed." He shook his head as he turned to Donatello and Michelangelo. " What about Raph? And the girls? And the baby?" Michelangelo asked, his voice rising higher in pitch with each question.

"They didn't find anyone in there." Leonardo's eyes went to the ground as he pulled his arms around his chest. " The fire chief said it looked like someone had placed several explosives along the front of the house."

" Explosives?" Donatello repeated. " But who would-" He then turned back and peered through the rain at the house across the street, and he knew that Leonardo could feel what he was thinking.

" How could I have had let this happen?" Leonardo asked his brothers as the tears in his eyes began to fall down his face, and he turned away from them. " We knew that they were over there, and yet, I did nothing. I should have seen this coming. I should have done something!" Leonardo then slammed his fist into the side paneling of Raphael's overturned car, and he fell down to his knees as he sobbed.

Michelangelo knelt down and grabbed Leonardo, pulling his oldest brother against his chest. " It's okay! It's not your fault, Leo!"

Donatello joined them on the ground and patted Leonardo shoulder. " Mikey's right, Leo. You can't beat yourself up! None of us knew that this was going to happen." He then pulled Leonardo back and stared into his brothers' brown eyes. " Even if we did, there is no way we could prepared for something like this." Donatello looked back at the house and studied the blown out windows, then jumped to his feet. Leonardo and Michelangelo watched Donatello as he walked around the crumbled front porch and ran his fingers over the broken door frame. Donatello brought his fingers back, rubbed the white powder around in his fingers, then inhaled it's still strong odor.

"Ammonium Nitrate?" Donatello whispered loudly to himself. " How can that be possible?" He then turned to find Leonardo and Michelangelo staring at the powder on his fingertips.

" What's not possible?" Michelangelo asked.

"This chemical compound used in these explosives," Donatello pointed his finger up and around the door frame and into the entrance way as they stepped into the house. He then kneeled down to the scorched wooden floor and traced his fingers along the cracks. " It's a raw material that's used in explosives for mining." Donatello removed his fingers from the floor and looked up at his brothers. " There's just one tiny, little detail that's weird about it."

"Which is?" Leonardo asked.

"Ammonium Nitrate _isn't_ processed in the U.S. It's made in Africa." Donatello stood back up and brushed ashes off of his pant legs.

"Africa?" Michelangelo scratched his head as he looked around. " What the heck is a bunch of German dudes doing with explosives from Africa?"

Donatello shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know. They might a supplier from there or something. It's probably not important, anyway. I just thought it was weird." He then noticed Leonardo was on his cell phone and he didn't like the worried look that was on his brother's face.

" Leo, if they're in the tunnel, Linda won't be able to get a signal on her phone." Donatello pointed out, but then stopped talking when Leonardo turned around and showed him Linda's half melted phone in his hand.

" I was trying the phone _in _the tunnel," Leonardo pushed a button and shoved his phone back into his pocket. " The line's been cut or something. I'm not even getting a busy signal. It's just dead air." He then looked through the huge hole when the windows once stood and he glared at the house across the street. " I know they have them."

Donatello and Michelangelo then watched as Leonardo ran into the living room, and after a minute he came back out, carrying all of their weapons in his hands. He tossed Donatello his bo staff, then threw Michelangelo his nunchucks.

"I think it's time we show those Germans they picked the wrong turtles to mess with." Leonardo said as he shoved Raphael's sais into the waistband on his pants, then whipped one of his katanas in the air.

"All right! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Michelangelo spun his nunchucks around, but brought them too close to his face. " OW!" He rubbed at his cheek, then grinned at Leonardo and Donatello. " Hehehe. Out of practice, am I!"

Donatello shook his head and he playfully pushed Michelangelo out of the door. " Alright, Yoda. Get moving!"

" We need to break into that house and see if they left any clues." Leonardo pointed across the street. " It's not much, but it's the only thing we have to start from."

"Hang on, let me grab some stuff!" Donatello tossed his bo back to Leonardo and ran back into the house. He reappeared several minutes later with his old, brown duffel bag sling over his shoulder. Michelangelo rolled his eyes and laughed.

" You _still_ have that thing?"

Donatello took his bo back from Leonardo and patted the tattered bag. " Hey, this_ thing, _as you refer to it, carried all the stuff that saved our shells." He then walked by Michelangelo with a smile on his face. " Besides, I consider it to be a good luck charm."

Michelangelo then looked over at Leonardo, and lifted his finger to his head and spun it around in a circle. Leonardo held back his laughter, then they both followed Donatello to the dark, empty house across the street.


	23. Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

" How's that lock coming, Donnie?"

Donatello pulled his drill back and the round copper deadbolt lock fell out of the door and clattered onto the ground below them. He then rose to his feet and replaced the drill into his bag, then slowly pushed the door back. Leonardo stuck his head through the open doorway, looked around the empty and dark kitchen, then waved his brothers in.

" Do you think any of them are still in here?" Michelangelo asked as he nervously twirled one of his nunchucks around.

"I don't think so, Mikey." Donatello turned on a small black flashlight and swung the light along the painted yellow walls of the small kitchen. " Dr. Gershin already got what he was after. Why would he stick around for us?"

Michelangelo then dropped his eyes to the white tiled floor under his feet. " I hope they're okay."

"Don't think about that right now, Mikey. We need to stay focused." Leonardo stopped them at the doorway of the kitchen, and allowed Donatello to shine the flashlight into the spacious living room. As he moved the light around, they noticed there was several white folding tables lined along the bare white walls, and several folding chairs scattered between the tables. When he moved the light up farther, they gasped at the many computer systems and radar equipment that sat on the tables. Donatello quickly moved over to one of the computers and hit the power button. After a few seconds, the screen turned bright blue, and something written in German scrolled across the screen.

" What's that say?" Michelangelo asked as he and Leonardo joined Donatello.

Donatello studied the red letters. " I'm not sure. I never really studied the German language. I only know a few words."

Leonardo then pointed his finger to the small turtle shaped icon at the bottom of the screen. " What's that?"

Donatello drug the mouse down the screen and clicked on the icon. The opening screen disappeared, and they all gasped as the next screen popped up.

" What the-?" Michelangelo asked as he leaned in closer to the screen. "Are those pictures of our house?"

" Not only that," Donatello clicked on more pictures, enlarging them one by one. Leonardo recognized one as the day him and Donatello took Splinter to the airport. Another one was of him and Angie talking outside, and there was another of Michelangelo and Mandy out on the front porch. Leonardo then narrowed his eyes as the last one was of him and Linda that night they had fought out on the beach.

"Look at the dates on some of these!" Donatello pointed the mouse. " The earliest of these goes back to last year, about a month after Mikey brought Mandy to the house!"

"They've been studying us," Leonardo said. " They knew each and every little thing we did." He then turned away from the computer and glared into the darkness of the house. Michelangelo felt Leonardo's anger, and he patted his brother's shoulder, not knowing what to say to Leonardo to make him fell better.

" Not only have they been watching us," Donatello then clicked on another icon and up popped what looked like a voice recorder and another list of dates. He clicked on the first one, and Leonardo's eyes grew as he heard the voices of him and his brothers echo into the darkness.

"They've been listening in on us too." Leonardo turned back around and watched the lines on the screen jump up and down as the recording played. Donatello stopped it, then clicked on another, and they all listened to the conversation they had with Mandy the night she told them the truth about her father and Dr. Gershin. Donatello shook his head, and pushed the stop button again. He then moved over to another table, and picked up a set of headphones, then played with a few buttons that sat on the control panel in front of him. Seconds later, he could hear the voices of the firefighters that were in their house that very moment.

" How did they get surveillance stuff into our house anyway?" Michelangelo asked as he peered through the dirty white curtains to their house across the street.

Leonardo sat down in the seat Donatello had vacated, and moved the mouse down the list of voice recordings. " They knew our every move, Mikey. They knew when we woke up, when we left the house. Everything."

Michelangelo then shuddered. " That's creepy! Do you think they were watching us in the shower too?"

Leonardo slowly lifted his eyes to Michelangelo as he pressed down on the mouse button. Michelangelo's eyes then grew as he heard his own voice singing back at him as the sound of running water filled the background.

" Okay, I officially feel violated!" Michelangelo stepped away from the computer and wrapped his arms around himself as he shuddered again.

Donatello set down the headphones and moved back to the computer. " Is there anything on there that might say where they went to?"

Leonardo clicked the pages back to the first screen and looked around the various icons that sat on the blue screen. " It's all in German. How are we supposed to find anything if we can't read it?"

Donatello moved his flashlight around the room again. " There has to be something we can go on! Everyone we've ever gone up against has left something behind!" He turned back to his brothers. " Just look for anything, even if it's as meaningless as a piece of lint." He then pulled out two more flashlights and handed them to his brothers. Leonardo headed for the back rooms of the house, while Michelangelo went upstairs. Donatello stayed around the computers, then noticed a pile of papers hanging from the printer next to the computer. He pulled them off the printer, then shoved them together. He then read them over and over again, hoping he might catch something that he would recognize among the German lettering. He slammed the papers down in frustration, then closed his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. As he sighed heavily and reopened his eyes, Donatello looked back down at a piece that had been tossed aside and he wrinkled his forehead as he finally recognized one of the words.

"_Fällt_?" Donatello read, then sat back in the chair as he thought. He looked over the rest of the papers in his hands and noticed the word was repeated on every page. _Falls?_ _What the hell is that supposed to mean! _He looked back down the paper then noticed the word in front of it.

" Niagara?" His head then shot up from the papers and he jumped to his feet. " Leo! Mikey! I know where they are!"

* * *

Raphael slowly woke up from the darkness that had come over his eyes, and he moaned as the pain from his bullet wound shot down his arm, then throughout his body. He rose up his head as he tried to focus his vision in the dim lighting, and another pain shot down his spine. He cursed softly, then tried again to raise his head, and he squinted his eyes as he looked around. Raphael then heard sobbing coming from across the room, and he narrowed his eyes more, he could make out two bodies across the room from him. He then pulled on his arms, and found that they were tied together behind his back He swung his legs around and brought himself around to a sitting position, wincing as he used his injured shoulder to push his body up. Raphael then looked back down on the floor beside of him and saw Linda laying motionless next to him. He swung his leg around and poked at her with his toes, then grabbing her shirt and shaking her.

"Linda! Hey! Wake up!" Raphael whispered loudly as Linda moaned and turned her head around. It was then that Raphael noticed the sling she had use to carry Andrea in was gone, and it made Raphael's blood boil.

"Raph?"

Raphael then turned his head back to the shadows across the room. " Angie? You okay?"

"Not really." Angie answered, and the sobbing Raphael had heard earlier increased.

"Come on, Mandy," Raphael's heart began to ache as the young girl cried harder. " We're gonna get outta this. Don't worry."

Linda then opened her eyes and she gazed up at Raphael. " Where's Andrea?"

Raphael looked down at her and his eyes burned red. " I swear ta God if they hurt that kid, I'm gonna-"

Suddenly the lights above them flashed on, and they all turned their heads away. When Raphael looked back up, he could hear the sounds of a massive generator humming in the distance, and something else that sounded like rushing water. His eyes followed the tall gray control panel that wrapped around on the wall next to them, then landed on a familiar figure as it stepped in the small room.

"Ah! You are all awake finally!" Dr. Gershin clasped his hands together as he moved toward Raphael, and the stomping of his black combat boots echoed around the ceiling and back down into Raphael's ears. " I was beginning to think I was going to have to kill you all while you were knocked out." He then squatted down and looked into Raphael's burning gaze. " But that wouldn't have been much fun for me."

"Where's Andrea at, you piece of shit?" Raphael growled at the doctor, but then felt a sting in his cheek as Gershin slapped him with the back of his clawed hand.

" First off, I do not tolerate foul language!" The doctor snarled his teeth as Raphael rose his head. " Remind me to cut your tongue out before I kill you."He then stood back up and crossed his arms over his chest. " And why do you even care about that little one if she is not yours?"

Raphael glared up at the doctor. " Don't matter if she is or not! She's just a baby! Now what the hell did you do with her, you fuckin'-" Raphael then felt blood pool into his mouth as the doctor's boot met with his jaw.

" I told you not to speak like that, you worthless pig!" Gershin then laughed as Raphael spit his bloody saliva on the floor next to him.

" Leave him alone!" Linda shouted as she pushed herself up to her knees. Gershin looked over at her, seeing the fire of anger also burning in her eyes, and an evil smile crept on his face as her knelt down in front of her.

" And what are you going to do, my dear?" Gershin ran his fingers over Linda's hair, letting it fall slowly as he pulled his hand back. " You know, you are quite a beauty. I might just keep you around for my own pleasure." Linda then screamed out as Gershin grabbed onto her hair again and jerked her head toward him. He put his lips to her ear and then whispered. " I know I can make you cry out louder than Leonardo can."

As he released his hand, Linda felt the tears well up in her eyes and she turned her head away, feeling very ashamed of herself. Raphael then saw how shaken Linda had been and his anger grew as he watched her body shudder as she cried. Gershin moved away from them, and Raphael pushed himself over to Linda.

" What did that bastard say to you?" Raphael whispered as Linda looked at him through her tears.

" It doesn't matter," Linda said as she started to sniff back her tears. " I'm going to kill him with my bare hands!"

Raphael then sat back away from her as he watched the hatred grow in Linda's eyes. He then turned and looked to where Angie and Mandy were sitting on the floor, and finally noticed that they were locked in thick metal handcuffs that covered their hands, and they were both were wearing metal collars around their necks. Gershin stood over them and the girls huddled together.

" Well, Ms. Anderson. We finally meet after all of these years." He placed his palms together and bowed to her. " You are as beautiful as your mother. Probably even more so."

"Don't talk to me, you psycho!" Mandy shouted at Gershin. " My father should have had you locked up when he had the chance!"

Gershin held up his right hand and stuck out his claws. " Yes, well, I got to him before he had that chance. He was a brave fighter, but his brain outweighed his brawn, I'm afraid." Gershin then smiled at Mandy. " Your mother put up quite a fight too. You should have heard her! She pleaded for the lives of you and your brothers, right up until her dying breath."

Mandy then sucked in her breath and spit up at Gershin's face. The tears then began to roll down her face again as she watched Gershin wipe his face.

" It's a good thing I don't need you anymore!" Gershin then slammed his boot into Mandy's knee, and she screamed out as the bones crumbled under the flesh. " It would have been a shame to destroy you for that senseless act!" Gershin then turned back to Raphael. " Now then, as I was saying before these _fraus_ interrupted me, why does the life of that child matter to you, Raphael?" He knelt back down in front of Raphael on one knee and folded his hands together.

Raphael didn't answer the doctor as he stared into the tiger's yellow eyes. He then dropped his eyes to the concrete floor under them.

" You do know that it is _your_ fault that everything turned out like it did!" Gershin pulled Raphael's shirt collar toward him, then shoved the turtle down. " I told Vanessa not to get involved with you and your family! She went against every order I gave her and set my plans back! I wasted so much time and money because of her ignorance!"

Raphael narrowed his eyes as he pushed himself back up. " What are you talkin' about?"

Gershin sighed as he rubbed his forehead. " I see. It is time for the bad guy to give the explanation so that all of the pieces fall in line." Gershin then laughed at himself and slowly rose to his feet. " Well, I don't think I'm going to waste my breath on it. Things actually turned out better than I had thought, and now it won't matter to you because all of you will die soon." Gershin then turned around and walked out of the heavy metal door, and the girls jumped as it slammed shut.

Raphael's eyes went back to the floor as Gershin's words ran around in his head, and he shook off the thought that Vanessa had been working for the doctor, only because he didn't want to believe it. Raphael then looked up at Angie, locking his eyes with hers, and knew that she was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Donatello braced himself as Leonardo swerved around another long line of cars on the interstate, and felt a hint of panic creep up on him when he saw the Jeeps' speedometer reach ninety. He sighed, letting out his fears, then bent back down to the pile of papers on his lap. He entered another line of German words into the translator on his laptop, and tapped his fingers as the English words popped back up. He then moved the pointer across the words, highlighted them, then copied and pasted them onto an empty notebook page.

" Okay, Mike. What exit do I need to take?" Leonardo asked his youngest brother without removing his eyes from the rainy road.

Michelangelo flipped the map around and traced the lines of the map with his fingers.

"We need to get on 86, then hit highway 90, so it will be the third one up." Michelangelo then turned around and watched Donatello work. " How's it going back there?"

" I've just about got it." Donatello tighten his teeth on the pencil in his mouth as his fingers flew over the keyboard. " I don't know why I didn't think of using my translator program in the first place. We might have been there by now."

"Don't worry about it, Donnie." Leonardo responded as he veered the Jeep around more cars.

"What is all of that anyway?" Michelangelo turned around farther, pulling the top strap of his seatbelt over his head.

"Transcriptions of what Gershin's team has been doing," Donatello said without lifting his head. "They've been keeping records of what they've accomplished and where they've failed."

"Why would they do that?" Michelangelo asked as he wrinkled his forehead in confusion.

Donatello shrugged as he hit the enter button. " Gershin's a weird guy who does weird things for weird reasons. He's more anal than Leo is."

Leonardo looked into his mirror and gave Donatello a smug smile. " Thank you, Don."

Donatello laughed at his brother, then began to read over the pages that sat on his laptop screen. Michelangelo watched Donatello's face as the light from the screen reflected off of it in the dark Jeep, and he became scared as Donatello's expression fell.

"Donnie?" Michelangelo gulped. " What is it?"

Donatello shook his head as he continued to stare at the screen in disbelief. " No. There is no _way_ that's true."

Leonardo looked back into the mirror and saw the shock in Donatello's eyes as they flew across the pages. " What did you find, Don?"

"It just can't be true!" Donatello's eyes moved down the screen, then to the window beside of him. He watched the rain slammed against the glass as he refused to believe what he had just read. He then shut the laptop, and placed it down onto the floorboard under his seat.

" Donnie!" Leonardo shouted, waking Donatello out of his trance.

Donatello slowly rose his eyes up to the mirror were Leonardo's stare was waiting.

" Vanessa was one of them."

" What!" Michelangelo felt his nerves go on edge as he blankly stared at his brother.

Donatello leaned forward and spoke softly. "This is going to be hard to believe guys, but Vanessa was working under Gershin the entire time we've known her. Possibly even before that."

Leonardo drew in a sharp breath as his eyes looked out of the windshield, not wanting to believe that his good friend had been the enemy all along. " She supplied them with the explosives, didn't she?"

Donatello sighed, then began to speak again. " Remember when her doctor told us about the condition that was causing Vanessa's race to become extinct? Well, Vanessa's grandfather caught wind of what Mandy's father was doing, and he formed an alliance with Dr. Gershin to steal the DNA secrets, hoping it would give their people a chance to refurbished their numbers."

"Was Leslie in on it too?" Leonardo asked without looking back.

" No." Donatello shook his head. " She didn't agree with what her father was doing. That's why she moved here. But anyway, Vanessa's grandfather has been exporting weapons and explosives out of Africa to Gershin teams in Germany and here in the U.S. After her grandfather passed on, Vanessa's parents took over, then Vanessa herself. Since she was so determined to help her people, she volunteered herself to become Gershin's test subject."

"Test subject?" Michelangelo scratched his head. " You mean to get knocked up, right?"

Donatello stared blankly at Michelangelo's choice of words. " Geesh, Mike. But yeah, that's why. Then enters Chad. Not only does it give her a chance to produce an offspring with the proposed 'super' DNA, but it also gives Gershin a stream of money to use to continued his twisted research."

"Vanessa did all of that under Chad's nose, and he had no idea she was stealing from him." Leonardo moved the Jeep over to the other lane to pass more vehicles.

"Yep!" Donatello nodded. " Meanwhile, Gershin continued to go after Mandy's parents, who, as it says in his report, he personally murdered them back in 1989, when Mandy was ten years old."

Michelangelo's eyes narrowed as he felt a burning sensation in the pit of his stomach.

"That asshole." He turned back around, and met Leonardo's stare. " Sorry. That just really pisses me off! How could he be so cruel?" He then punched the door, causing his brothers jump. " I'm going to beat that guy senseless!"

"Easy, Mikey." Leonardo released the steering wheel and squeezed Michelangelo's shoulder, then looked back at Donatello through the mirror. " So, then we enter the picture. Now what?"

Donatello laughed. " Well, like we all know, Raphael finds Vanessa, fulfilling the promise he made to Leslie to find her niece and return the necklace, and as we found out later, Vanessa began to develop feelings for Raph, and it throws Gershin plans out of the window. Suddenly, Vanessa wants to abort her mission and break all ties with the Germans, which of course pisses Gershin off even more. She threatens to turn him in as he threatens her to kill her if she leaves. Then, bam! She ends up pregnant after years of trying to conceive with a human."

"Are you saying that Andy really is Raph's baby?" Michelangelo said as he turned back around.

" Andy?" Leonardo said as he made a face. " Doesn't that nickname sound kinda -boyish?"

Michelangelo shrugged his shoulders. " I don't think it does."

" I'll get to that in a second, Mikey," Donatello then continued. " After she finds out, Vanessa leaves Gershin's team, and I'm sure he wasn't too pleased about that. What Vanessa did set him back millions of dollars and about ten years of research. So, of course after Mikey brought Mandy to our place and they set up shop across the street, Gershin was shocked to find his old ally was living under our very roof. But here's something to think about: If Gershin thought Andrea was a mutant hybrid and not worth anything to him, why did they wait until _after_ she was born before they invaded our house and took everyone, _including_ Raph and the baby?"

Leonardo leaned back into his seat as the wheels in his head turned around. " I'm sure he knew that Andrea came out looking the way she did." He then narrowed his eyes as he thought deeper. " Wait. That's it!"

Michelangelo looked over at his brother. " What's it?"

"Gershin seems to think that since Andrea's a full blooded mutant but with a human appearance, that she's the key to the evolution of humankind. She has a stronger DNA strand than Mandy does." Leonardo smiled as he saw Donatello nodded through the mirror. " He took Raph to make sure that he really is the father." His smile then dropped when he realized something else. " But to make sure that Andrea is the real deal, that means his going have to dissect- "

" Don't say it, dude!" Michelangelo covered his ears, not wanting to hear what Leonardo had to say. " Don't even _think _it!"

Donatello sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. " Do you guys also remember when Raph told us that Vanessa had 'things' to tell him? I bet she was going to reveal everything to him."

Leonardo shook his head. " I still can't believe Vanessa was working for them. I never would have thought in a million years that she was capable of that."

"She was desperate to save her people, Leo. What would you have done?" Donatello said as he looked out the window again. " When you're at the end of your rope, you'd do anything to get what you're after." He then looked back at Leonardo through the mirror. " Just like Linda did."

Leonardo turned his eyes back to the road. " I know." He sighed as he moved the Jeep over to another lane. " Sometimes things like that happen and you have no control over it."

" Hey! We're here!" Michelangelo shouted as his finger shot up to the large green exit sign that read Niagara Falls.

Leonardo took a deep breath as he moved the Jeep down the exit ramp and onto the empty streets under the interstate. After driving another few miles, the roar of the water poured through Leonardo's open window, and he pulled his Jeep into a secluded area of trees behind the massive falls. They slowly stepped out of the Jeep, looking around for any sign of life, then they all stare into the bright lights around the falls.

Leonardo opened the back hatch of the Jeep and they pulled their weapons out as Donatello placed Raphael's sais into his duffel bag, then loaded it down with the weaponry Leonardo had hidden under the floor board. Leonardo tighten his gasp on his swords, then looked over at his brothers.

" Let's go." He whispered, then led the way as the brothers clung to the shadows, and all of the ninja training they had learned years ago came flooding back as they knocked out a few German sentries.

As they continued on their way, Leonardo's thoughts began to drift back the first training run they had gone on without Splinter, and how nervous he had been. He then jumped ahead a few years, remembering how he and his brothers had fought in the war, and even though he had grown a lot since their first outing, Leonardo remembered he was still shaken by the fact he had so many lives depending on him besides the lives of his siblings. His thoughts then went on to the personal battle he had with himself, and how he had defeated his inner demons without faltering.

So now, at the age of twenty-five, ten years after that first training run, Leonardo knew that he was finally strong enough to overcome anything that the world decided to throw at him, and he wasn't going to let anyone get between him and his loved ones ever again. He then thought of Linda, and as he led his brothers down to the underground German base, he dared Fate to get in his way, for he was more than willing to die for the woman he was planning on spending the rest of his life with.

Then in that same moment, it seemed that Fate took a step back as he and his brothers blasted their way into the base camp, and Leonardo knew that he was the one who was now in control of his destiny.


	24. Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Two

As the heavy door slammed shut, Angie's line of vision meet directly with Raphael's, and even though her psychic powers were being drained by the collar around her neck and the cuffs that bound her hands, she could still see the confusion and pain Raphael was trying to hide behind his brown eyes. She didn't want to believe Doctor Gershin words either, but her weakened sixth sense was picking up something that made her stomach turn. Angie then watched Raphael's eyes fall down to the ground as silent tears rolled down his face. He then let his body flop over and he fell down onto his left side, and remind motionless except for the few heaving deep breaths that made his back push out.

Angie pushed herself up to her knees and scooted herself across the cold floor, wincing at the pain that shot through her stiff legs. She moved along Raphael's side until she could see his face. His eyes were closed, and a pool of blood was forming under the cut on the corner of his mouth. Angie watched his heavy breathing for another minute, then she let herself fall onto the ground, lining her face up with the mutant turtle that laid in front of her. She continued to stare into his expressionless face, and Angie knew Raphael could feel her presence.

" What did I do ta deserve all of this?" Raphael asked Angie in a low whisper, his eyes remained shut as he talked. " Why does God, or whatever is up there, feel the need ta shit on me all the time?"

Angie sighed as she closed her own eyes, wishing she was free from the electrical cuffs on her hands so she could comfort Raphael in her arms.

"Raph, please don't take this the wrong way but, God does not, as you say, 'shit' on people. He puts obstacles in your way so you can overcome them and grow into a stronger person."

Raphael slowly opened his eyes, then wrinkled his forehead. " And he doesn't think I'm strong enough yet?" Raphael then rolled over onto his shell and stared up at the fluorescent lighting above them. " I must be pretty fuckin' weak then."

" No, that's not it, Raph." Angie pushed herself back up and sat Indian-style.

"Then what _exactly_ is it then, Angie? Cause I'm tired of all of the crap I've been gettin in my life!" Raphael yelled as he suddenly sat upright. " I can't love nobody cause they fuckin' die on me! I was gonna be a dad, but the kid ain't even mine! Now I find out that the one person I ever really give a shit about was lyin' about who she really was!" He shook his head as the tears began to fall faster.

"Raph," Angie went back to her knees and moved over to the turtle. " I know it seems like all hope is lost, but you have to remember that there are greater things waiting for you."

Raphael then turned his head to Angie and narrowed his eyes at her. " What the hell do you know? You don't know what I've been through. My whole life as been nothin' but crap like that! So how can you sit there and tell me that shit!"

Raphael took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his anger raged on. " I've been lookin' for that so called 'greater thing' all my life, and I'm tellin' ya right now, it don't _fuckin' _exist!"

Angie lowered her head, knowing she was losing to Raphael's pessimistic nature. " I'm sorry you feel that way, and I know I can't change how you feel."

"Damn right you can't, and I'm glad _someone_ finally learned that!" Raphael then spun himself around to face the gray concrete wall behind him, then sighed as Angie spoke to him again.

" You will see, Raph. It will come to you when you least expect it." And with that, Angie crawled on her knees back to where Mandy was sitting.

The booming silence that was ringing through Raphael's head was suddenly cut short as gunfire and loud screams echoed down through the ceiling, and he and the girls all raised their heads.

" What on earth is going on up there?" Linda whispered loudly as she looked over at Angie and Mandy. She then turned back to Raphael, who was straining to hear the voices that called out above him. A large explosion then shook the room, making the ceiling crumble and fall as dust to the floor, and Mandy lifted her bound hands up to shield her face from the falling debris.

"Whatever it is, those guys are getting their butts kicked!" Mandy lowered her arms and stared into the ceiling as more German screams and shouts were heard.

"Move over to the far wall," Raphael motioned with his head, and Linda and Angie moved without saying a word. Mandy remained in her spot and glared at Raphael.

" Hey, you moron! My freaking knee is broken!"

Raphael turned his head sharply to her and returned her glare. "Well, if you wanna get flatten by the lightin' above yer head, be my guest."

Mandy then cautiously looked up as another explosion shook the long fluorescent cylinders above her, causing them to swing back and forth.

" Come on, Mandy," Angie said with a calm smile. " Just lay on your side and push yourself with your good leg."

Mandy sighed heavily, then began to attempt what Angie had suggested. Tears of pain found their way out of her eyes as she slowly moved along the floor. She then had a memory of when her brothers would go fishing, and they would chop their worms in half before hooking them on their poles as bait, and Mandy believed she finally knew how those worms must have felt as they lay on the ground, wiggling around like they were screaming in pain.

The sounds of gunfire rang through the thick walls, as did a scraping metallic sound that none of them could place. Raphael kept his eyes on the door as Linda motioned at Mandy excitedly with her eyes.

" You're doing good, Mandy," Linda said as she saw the torture twisted in the young girl's face. " You're almost there!"

Mandy looked up, and the sweat rolled down her face, and she was about to make a comment on Linda's encouragement, when the heavy door that locked them away from freedom was blown open, and two lifeless bodies were flung into the wall in front of them. Mandy screamed and tried to move faster as pieces of metal struck her, but she then felt something pull on her. She looked up to find Raphael's toes wrapped in the sleeve on her shirt, and he gritted his teeth together as he jerked her to safety, just as the red light from the hallway outside flooded into the room, and a figure stepped into the doorway.

* * *

_Minutes before..._

As the Germans scattered down farther into the underground compound, Donatello opened up his duffel bag and grabbed another handful of explosive _shuriken_, then passed a couple to Leonardo and Michelangelo.

" Now, we only have a few more to go around, and probably a lot more solid steel doors, so don't waste them."

" Gotcha, captain!" Michelangelo saluted his brother as he shoved the throwing stars into the pocket of his black shorts.

Leonardo looked around the hallway they stood in, taking in the smell of water and gunpowder that filled the air. There was another hall in front of them, as well as behind them, then several metal staircases that led down farther under the falls.

"There is so much ground to cover, and we don't have a lot of time!"

Leonardo looked back at Donatello, and almost laughed at the fact that his brother was thinking the same thing as he was.

" Right, which means we should spilt up. Donnie?"

Donatello tightened his grip on his bo and pointed to the corridor in front of him. " I'll take that way."

Leonardo nodded. " Okay. We'll meet back here in fifteen minutes. Does that give you enough time?"

"No problem!"He then pushed past Michelangelo and ran down the corridor behind Leonardo.

"Mike?"

"Uh," Michelangelo scratched his head as he looked around. " Wish I had a coin to flip or something."

Leonardo sighed and shook his head, then turned around and climbed down the staircase that sat on Michelangelo's left side. After watching his brother disappear into the darkness, Michelangelo heard loud shouting coming from the hallway in front of him, and he took a step back.

" This way it is!" He then ran down the opposite hallway, away from the angry German voices. As he ran, Michelangelo would turn his head around, knowing that whoever was behind him wasn't even close to catching up with him. Michelangelo laughed triumphantly at himself, then turned his head back and gasped.

" Watch out, Donnie!"

Michelangelo crashed into his brother and they both fell to the ground.

" Mikey! What the hell?" Donatello shouted as he pushed the younger turtle away. " Leo told us to spilt up!"

"Well, I thought I did, but I- then those people- and then I ran, and I thought I went that way, and then-," Michelangelo stuttered as his hands flew around in all directions.

Donatello held up his hands as Michelangelo stopped talking and took a deep breath.

" It's okay, just stop before you hurt yourself." Donatello then jumped to his feet, bending back down to retrieve his bo staff. As he wrapped his right hand around it, his eyes caught something that sat under Michelangelo's sprawled out feet.

" Mike, get up now."

Michelangelo narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. " Boy, aren't we bossy?"

Donatello growled in frustration, then jerked his brother to his feet. He pointed the end of his bo to the ground and Michelangelo's eyes grew wide as he stared into the extended six points of the throwing star that had fallen out of his pocket. He looked at Donatello, then gave his brother a huge grin.

" Whoops."

"RRRRUUUUUUNNNNNN!" Donatello shouted at the top of his lungs as he and Michelangelo took off down the hallway and dropped to the floor as smoke, fire and pieces of concrete flew over their heads. After the rumbling had settled, the turtles raised their heads and saw that the entrance to the hallway had been blown apart, and the debris from the explosion covered the way out. Michelangelo slowly turned his eyes to Donatello and he giggled lightly.

"Whoops, again."

Donatello growled once more, knowing that he was now trapped in the corridor with his baby brother.

* * *

When Leonardo's feet touched solid ground, he pulled the flashlight that Donatello had given him earlier out of his back pocket and swung it around. The red lighting that filled the hall in front of him hurt his eyes, and he tried to direct his vision to the path made by the flashlight. He then felt vibrations bouncing through the floor in the soles of his feet, and he quickly turned the light off. He pressed himself into a doorway, then listened as the footsteps drew closer, and he could hear the mumbling of two Germans soldiers.

"_Der Doktor hat etwas um einen Sicherheitsbruch gesag_ (The doctor said something about a security breach)," One of them said.

"_Ich denke, dass der Doktor im Kopf gefickt ist, wenn Sie mich fragen! _(I think the doctor is fucked in the head, if you ask me!)" Said the other, then they both laughed as the first one stop walking and pulled out a pack of cigarettes out of his uniform pocket. The second sat his rifle against the wall and offered a light to his comrade, then lit his own. They both then froze as an explosion echoed from above them.

"_Vielleicht hat er die Gefangenen von seinem gesprengt_. (Maybe he blew up those prisoners of his.)"

" _Verdammen Sie! Ich wollte das sehen_! ( Damn! I wanted to see that!)"

Leonardo peered around the corner of the doorframe, and almost gagged as the cloud of smoke circled around his head.

"How can people stand those things?" He whispered to himself as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. It was then that Leonardo remembered that he was carrying his swords, and the blade that was in the hand that covered his mouth was sticking out into the hallway, and the red lights from the ceiling bounced off of the sword's shiny metal surface. He quickly pulled it back down, hoping that the two gunmen didn't notice, but it was too late.

"_Haben Sie das gesehen_? (Did you see that?)"

The second gunmen threw his still lit cigarette to the ground and slowly picked up his rifle. He took a few steps closer to where they had seen the flash of metal, then lifted the gun up to the doorway, just inches away from the side of Leonardo's head.

"_Zeigen Sie sich, oder ich werde Ihren fickenen Kopf ab blasen_! (Show yourself, or I'll blow your fucking head off!)"

Before the German could wrap his finger around the trigger on the rifle, Leonardo's sword ripped the gun from his hands and it flew into the air. The gunman screamed out as he looked down and saw the tips of his fingers had been sliced off and the blood poured down his hand. The first soldier fumbled with his rifle, but then found himself on the ground before he knew what had happened to his fellow soldier. His skull clashed with the concrete floor, and it made him dizzy for a moment, but he then scrambled back to his feet. His partner held his bleeding hand under his opposite arm and re-cocked his rifle.

"_War welche die Hölle das_? ( What the hell was that?)" The first soldier asked his wounded partner.

The second soldier spat on the ground and was about to speak when a clang noise sounded behind them. Then cautiously turned around, and saw the glaring stare of a mutant turtle, and a smile grew across his face as he scrapped his swords together. The gunmen then fumbled with their rifles as the turtle leaped into the air with the points of his swords aimed right for them.

* * *

Linda gasped as Leonardo stepped farther into the room, his chest heaving as he tried to regain his breath. She watched his hands flex around the handles of his blood-covered swords as Leonardo stared at the motionless bodies in front of him. He then winced as he bent down and pulled out a small knife that was embedded into his left calf muscle. Leonardo then threw the knife back at the dead Germans, and it found it's mark in the middle of one of the gunmen's forehead. Linda's heart raced as she saw the rage in Leonardo's eyes, and her sent her back into her to the day they had fought in the city during the war, and he had removed her Foot hood and realized who she was.

Leonardo regained his composure then caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He held up his swords in defense, but then lowered them slowly as his eyes met with Linda's. He rushed down to her side, dropping his swords on the way, and grabbed her in a tight hug.

"I'm so glad I found you," He whispered into her ears as he kissed her. " I was so afraid." Leonardo leaned back and held Linda's dirty face in his palms, then caught sight of the bullet hole in her leg, and it ran his finger around, not caring to touch the dried blood around it.

" It's nothing. I'm fine." Linda reassured Leonardo with a smile. " We need to find Andrea. Something bad is going to happen to her if we don't get to her."

Leonardo then looked over at Raphael, and he began to reach for the gash on his brother's face. " What happened to you? Did you mouth off to someone again?"

Raphael sighed. " Yeah, she's gets all the sympathy, and I get the lecture."

Leonardo laughed as reached back to grab one of his swords, and he cut through the wiring around Raphael and Linda's wrists, then noticed another bullet hole, this one in Raphael's shoulder. " I'm so sorry about all of this. I wish I had been there."

Angie shook her head. " Then you would have been in here with us, or worse." Leonardo then stood up and moved over to her and Mandy and gave the metal bondage on their wrists a curious look.

" Hold up your hands and spread them as far apart as you can," Leonardo watched as Mandy did what she was told, and he raised his sword above his head. Just as the blade was coming down, Angie lunged at Leonardo and knocked him to the ground.

"No! You can't do that!" She said as Leonardo sat back up. " These things are protected by high frequency electric pulses. If you break them open like that, you'll electrocute us."

"How do ya know that?" Raphael asked as he stood up and twisted his stiff neck.

"I heard one of them say it when we were knocked out, before these things started draining me. You need either the key or something to reach into them to cut the wiring."

Leonardo pulled Angie slowly up to her feet and he continued to look over the metal bands. " Looks like we need to find Donnie for that. He and Mikey are somewhere upstairs."

He then looked back down at Mandy and noticed the large bruise and the swelling around her knee, and he knew just by looking at it that the bones were shattered.

" Can you walk?" Leonardo asked as he knelt back down to her, and saw the tears in Mandy's blue eyes as she shook her head back and forth. Leonardo gave her a reassuring smile then turned around. Linda and Raphael pulled Mandy's bond hands over and around Leonardo's neck and held her as Leonardo stood up. Mandy then wrapped her good leg around him and buried her face into his shirt.

"Do you have any idea where Gershin might have gone to?" Leonardo asked as his eyes bounced between Linda and Raphael. They both shrugged as Raphael spoke.

" How are we supposed to know when we don't even know where _we_ are!"

"We're deep under Niagara Falls," Leonardo said as he moved toward the door. "They've had this underground base for years and our government never knew about it."

"How crooked is that?" Raphael shook his head, then let Angie and Linda walked past him and into the glowing red hallway. Before he followed them, he looked back at the dead German soldier who Leonardo had returned the knife to. He looked back at his brother as a smile crawled across his face.

" Where the hell did ya learn to throw knives like that?"

Leonardo shrugged as a smile grew on his face too. " I can't give away all of my secrets." He then winked at Raphael and followed the girls out of the room.

* * *

"Let's try this one!"

Donatello grabbed Michelangelo's arm and pulled him back as his brother reached for the handle on the heavy door.

" Mikey! You just don't go up to a strange door and open it! " He pushed Michelangelo out of his way and reached into his duffel bag. " We need to find out what's on the other side."

Michelangelo watched as Donatello placed a very thin panel on the floor and pushed it carefully under the door. He then pulled out a small gray box and he pushed on the red button that sat on the top. Michelangelo's eyes grew as the screen on the box flickered and the bright fluorescent light from the room in front of them appeared.

"Hey! That's cool!" Michelangelo exclaimed as Donatello pulled out a short piece of plastic and pushed the onscreen arrows, and the picture moved down from the ceiling.

" That thing I shoved under the door has a digital camera built inside of it, and I can move it in all directions, and it never even moves off of the floor."

Michelangelo patted Donatello on the shoulder, then pinched his cheek. " You're so smart Donnie! "

Donatello laughed. " So I've been told, time and time again." He moved the plastic stick to another arrow and the image on the screen sharpened. " Now this is extremely odd."

Michelangelo bent down next to his brother and leaned over to get a better look at the screen. " What the heck?" he wrinkled his forehead in confusion as he saw a white baby crib covered with a white lace canopy. " Man, I think someone has some kind of sick fetish or something!"

Donatello sighed at Michelangelo, then moved the camera around, noting a white changing table and several other various baby items that were scattered around the large room.

"It's a nursery, Mikey." Donatello moved the camera again, and they found more white cribs that were similar to the first one.

" Are there any babies actually in there, namely ours?" Michelangelo stood up and stared into the door, holding himself back from breaking it down.

Donatello also stood up and shoved the device back into his duffel bag. " I can't tell from here. We'll have to go inside." He then pulled out a lock pick, and after a minute, the heavy steel door swung open quietly, and the two turtles tiptoed inside. Michelangelo stepped up to the first crib they had seen and peered inside.

" Nope! Nothing here!"

Donatello started on the opposite end and also found nothing. They worked their way to the middle of the row, stopping in front of the last one, and they gave each other looks of hope. As they looked down, there was Andrea, sleeping peacefully, as if she knew nothing of the world around her. The turtles sighed in relief, and Michelangelo carefully lifted the baby out of the crib.

"What the heck is all of this for?" Michelangelo asked as he followed Donatello back out of the room. " Is that freako doctor expecting more or what?"

Donatello looked around the hallway cautiously before stepping out into it. " Actually to tell you truth, I think he really is." He waved Michelangelo out, and he closed the door behind them. " If I'm right about Andrea's DNA strand and how potent it is, then I'm sure Gershin is planning on doing A LOT of baby shoplifting."

Donatello lead the way down the red lit corridor, and glanced at each passing doorway, hoping to see a way out of the hallway and back outside. He stopped at one of the doors, and pressed his face against the glass window. The room was completely black except for a few red lights. Donatello placed his hands next to his face, hoping to get a better look at the object that sat between the red lights, and he smiled when was finally able to make out a ladder that led up through the ceiling.

"Bingo." He whispered as he reached into his bag for his lock pick. "Hey, Mikey! I think we have a way-"

Donatello stopped suddenly as he raised his eyes to his brother, and noticed the six black clad Germans that were standing at the end of the hallway behind them.

" A way what?" Michelangelo asked, obliviously to the threat behind him. " Really, Don. It's rude when you don't finish your sentences!" His look of disgust turned into confusion as Donatello pulled out one of his _shuriken_ and pushed into its center, releasing the extra three points inside.

"Uh, Don? What are you doing?"

"Get down-" Donatello then launched the star down the hall. " NOW!" He shoved Andrea closer to Michelangelo's chest and pushed himself and his brother down to the floor. A wave of flames bellowed over their heads, and the ground rumbled beneath them, and after waiting for it all to end, Donatello helped Michelangelo to his feet.

" Now what the _hell _was that for?" Michelangelo cried out. He followed Donatello's pointed index finger to the scattered ripped body parts that sat only a few feet away from them, and he gulped loudly.

"Oh, I see." Michelangelo then pulled Andrea away from his chest and laughed at the still sleeping baby.

" Man, this has to be Raph's kid! She sleeps through anything!"

Donatello laughed at Michelangelo's comment as he picked the lock of the door, then the two turtles disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

" Where are they?" Leonardo asked himself out loud as he and Raphael watched the hallways for signs of their brothers. "I told them to meet me back here. I hope nothing went wrong."

Raphael glanced down the corridor behind him. " Which way did they go?"

"I know Don went down that way," Leonardo pointed to the hallway behind Raphael. " I don't know where Mikey went."

"Great." Raphael griped, then started to walk down the hallway that Donatello had went down, but he stopped suddenly before he ventured further. " Oh, yeah. This just keeps getting better and better."

"What do you mean?" Angie asked as the rest of them gathered behind Raphael and saw that the hallway had caved in.

"Well that's lovely!" Mandy pushed her head back to Leonardo's shoulder.

"And who knows how deep this freakin' place is!" Raphael shouted, his voice around them. "It could take hours ta find them!"

"Now what?" Linda asked Leonardo as she and Raphael shared an exasperated sigh. Leonardo's eyes darted around the pile of rubble, then back to the metal staircase.

"I don't know." Leonardo lowered his head as he rubbed at his temples. " I just don't know."

The sound of several loading guns made them all turn around, and Leonardo heard Raphael growled deep in his throat as they stared in the yellow eyes of Doctor Gershin.

"I have a suggestion." Gershin's accent pushed through his toothy evil smile. " Since you are clearly overpowered, give yourselves up now, and I promise to make your death much easier."

* * *

"Where the heck are we, Donnie?" Michelangelo called up to Donatello as he stopped climbing the ladder and looked down into the darkness below.

Donatello also stopped and looked around. " I wish I knew Mikey, but there is nothing that will tell us what floor we are on." He started climbing again, feeling Michelangelo's breath on the soles of his feet. "I wish we had some light in here."

A sudden flash stopped them again and Donatello covered his eyes with his left hand while Michelangelo buried his face into the railings.

"This can't be good," Michelangelo said as he blinked at the source of light, hearing a familiar evil laughter above him.

Donatello lowered his hand and looked down below Michelangelo. There stood a dozen soldiers with their rifles aimed upwards. Both turtles then looked up to the open doorway above them, and Donatello could make out the shape of a giant cat standing in front of the spotlight, and a sense of dread flooded over him.

" No, Mikey. This isn't good at all."


	25. Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

Doctor Jonathan Gershin paced back and forth in front of his group of captives, rubbing his white, furry chin while he tried to decide who to kill first. After months of watching them, he knew all of them so well, which made him hate them even more.

The youngest of the four brothers was highly annoying to Gershin. He had spent months listening to the young turtle's mindless babbling, which seemed to get worse as Gershin's main target, Mandy, became friends with Michelangelo, and the endless chattering doubled. But he could wait on destroying him.

Gershin then thought about Donatello or Leonardo, but also decided against it. He could use one as intelligent as Donatello and someone as strong minded as Leonardo in his army, and Gershin began plotting ways of making them join him.

Then there was only one left, the one who got in the way of the doctor's plans. Gershin stopped pacing and stood in front of Raphael, popping his knuckles as he stared into the turtles' fiery eyes.

"What the hell are ya lookin' at?" Raphael snapped.

The doctor's grin grew bigger. " I was just imaging your head impaled on a stake." Gershin laughed slightly as Raphael's eyes narrowed at him, and the doctor soaked up the hatred that rolled off of the turtle like a thick layer of smoke. The doctor's eyes then went to Linda, and his gaze made her move closer to her mutant lover. Gershin laughed again as Leonardo wrapped his arms around Linda as she cowered into his chest, and his eyes burned like Raphael's.

Gershin took a few steps backwards from the circle of soldiers that surrounded his captives, their rifles ready to fire at the slightest movement.

"I would have to say this is a very hard choice to make," Gershin scanned the captives once again with his yellow eyes. " Things would be so much easier if one of you would just volunteer." His eyes then landed on Mandy, who was slumped over on the floor. Michelangelo held her head in his lap and wiped at her tears of pain as they rolled down her cheeks. Gershin smiled wickedly as he finally made his decision.

"In the wild, it is always the weak, sick, and the wounded that are the first to be caught and killed," Gershin snapped his fingers, then pointed at Mandy, and Michelangelo watched helplessly as two gunmen pulled Mandy up and dragged her toward the doctor.

"NO!" Michelangelo shouted as he jumped to his feet, only to be thrown back down by the soldiers.

"I am so sorry, Ms. Anderson." Gershin said as he took a handgun from the palm of his dark-haired, second- in- command, then lowered the gun down to Mandy's temple, ignoring the plea that shone from her blue eyes. " Tell your parents I said hello."

It was then that all hell broke loose.

As Gershin fired his .45, a flash of green suddenly appeared between the doctor and Mandy, and everyone gasped as Michelangelo's limp body skidded across the floor and smashed into the concrete wall.

" MIKEY! NO!" Raphael cried out, then grabbed two of the soldiers by the shoulders and bashed their heads together. Leonardo, Donatello and Linda took down the rest of the soldiers before they could react. Leonardo grabbed their weapons back, while Linda helped Donatello block the heavy steel door, preventing the rest of the gunmen outside from coming in. They then went to work on releasing Angie as Leonardo and Raphael held their gaze at Doctor Gershin. Raphael spin his sai around in his hand, becoming one with his old friends again, as he watched Mandy crawl over to Michelangelo's motionless body, and he brought his eyes back to the doctor. Gershin suddenly spun around and was about to fire at Mandy when he felt a searing pain rip through the flesh of his right arm, and the gun clattered on the concrete floor. His yellow eyes grew big as he saw blood erupt from the wound around the three pronged weapon, but made no sound as he jerked it out and flung it to the ground.

"You better hope that Mikey's okay, doc," Raphael growled. " Cause if he ain't, I'm gonna personally take you out!"

Gershin laughed. " It was his own stupid fault he took that bullet! You four let your feelings get in the way of everything! You are all pathetic and weak!" Gershin's eyes jumped from the gun on the floor to the cold stares he was receiving from the two turtles in front of him. He saw Leonardo tighten his grip on the handles of his katanas, and Raphael did the same with his remaining sai.

"You should be blaming yourself for all of this, Raphael," Gershin said, his eyes jumping back to the gun on the floor, which sat within inches of his left combat boot. " You were the reason all of this came to pass."

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Raphael shouted. " If you're gonna start that shit about Vanessa again, I don't wanna hear it cause it's all a bunch of fuckin' lies!"

Gershin gave Leonardo an exaggerated look of confusion. " You mean to tell me that he didn't read the reports like you did, Leonardo?"

Leonardo sighed heavily, but kept his eyes glued on the mutant tiger. Raphael noticed the sudden change in his brother and as he turned his head toward Leonardo, he could see the sadness and the confusion that rested on his oldest brother's face.

" No, no, Leo. It can't be." Raphael shook his head. " She wouldn't do that to us. She wouldn't do that to me!"

"I'm sorry, Raph," Leonardo said, still holding his gaze ahead. " Just don't think of that right now. Just-just stayed focused."

Raphael turned his head away from Leonardo, and stared into the ground under his feet. Tears of confusion began to run down his face, and he lifted his eyes back up to the doctor just as a wicked smile spread across the tiger's face.

"Oh, come now, Leonardo," Gershin said as he watched the anger rise in Raphael.

" There is so much more he needs to know!"

Raphael jerked his head back up to Leonardo. " What other stuff?"

"Shut your mouth, Gershin. I'm warning you." Leonardo said as calmly as he could from behind his gritted teeth.

Gershin laughed. " Isn't it tragic how Vanessa sacrificed herself for my cause, Leonardo? How she unwillingly devoted herself to my studies?"

"What the fuck is he talkin' about, Leo!" Raphael grabbed Leonardo's shoulder and shook him.

Leonardo turned his eyes away from the doctor and pushed Raphael's hand down. " Don't you see what he's trying to do, Raph? Just calm down!" Leonardo looked back at the doctor, and quickly stopped Gershin from reaching the gun by placing the ends of his swords in the doctor's face.

" And I told you to stop talking!" Leonardo's voice rose. " You're not going to manipulate my brother's feelings with this!"

Gershin clinched his sharp teeth together and laughed through them as he eyes the gun. Then out of the corners of his eyes, he watched Linda slowly crawled across the cold floor on her hands and knees toward Mandy and Michelangelo, and the wheels continued to grind in his brain as he turned back to the arguing brothers.

"Leo, you better fuckin' talk to me!" Raphael demanded, causing Leonardo to growl in frustration.

"No, Raph! We are not discussing this! You are too emotional right now and this is NOT the time for it!"

"What about the child, Leonardo?" Gershin said in a low voice. " I'm sure you know all about her too. About who the father is-"

" I said SHUT UP!" Leonardo screamed as he placed his katanas up to the doctor's throat. " I won't tell you again!"

Gershin's smile expanded as his eyes went down the blade and up into Leonardo's evil glare. " Just tell him, Leonardo. I'm sure sooner or later he's going to find out that he is the father."

The tears that had been falling down Raphael's face began to fall faster as the doctor's words hit his ears. He lowered his head down, not really knowing what he should be feeling at the point. He could feel his heart breaking all over again, but he could feel the anger growing in the pit of his stomach, and the shame from acting so cold toward Andrea for so long made him feel like falling to his knees. All Raphael wanted to do was scream out his frustrations, but he couldn't find his voice, and his tears fell faster to the concrete below him.

Leonardo turned his eyes to his brother. " Raph, I-"

Raphael suddenly flung himself at the doctor, only to have Leonardo push him backward.

" I'm gonna fuckin' kill you!" Raphael screamed, pushing at Leonardo as he pushed back. "Let me go, Leo! He's fuckin' dead!"

"See?" Gershin shook his head. " It's because of that mouth and your uncivilized behavior that I don't think you deserve to raise a child." Gershin laughed at Raphael, making the turtle more irrate. " Don't worry, though. She will make a fine addition to my army."

Raphael growled louder, and he slammed into Leonardo. " Over my dead fuckin' body she will!"

"Get a hold of yourself, Raphael!" Leonardo demanded as the pressure of Raphael's chest bared down on his shoulder.

"How about you get the hell outta my way so I can kill that son of a bitch!" Raphael screamed back. " He might have taken Vanessa away from me, but I'll be _damned_ if does it again!"

As the two turtles continued to argue, Gershin finally saw his chance.

* * *

Down on the floor, Linda crawled along Michelangelo's back side, then rolled him over. Her hand touched a wet spot on his chest, and she pulled it back, scared that the bullet had entered his chest. She glanced down, only seeing a large wet spot that was made by Mandy's tears where she had laid her head on him.

" Is he-he-" Mandy stuttered as the tears flowed freely.

Linda placed her palm over Michelangelo's open mouth, and she sighed in relief when she felt a soft wind hit her hand.

" He's still breathing."

Mandy sat back on her good leg as a smile found its way to her face, and the tears flowed even more.

"I still can't believe he did that." She mumbled. " He is just- just- so incredible."

Linda offered Mandy a smile then ran her fingers over the spot in his side where the bullet had entered.

" I think I can pull this out," Linda adjusted her position, trying to get more light to reflect on Michelangelo's green skin. " It doesn't feel like it went in that deep. I'm sure it didn't hit any organs or anything."

Mandy then heard Michelangelo moan as he lifted his hands up to his face.

" What happened?"

Linda placed her hand on his forehead. " Just keep still, Michelangelo." Linda then removed the long sleeve shirt that she had been wearing and held it under the wound. " Now this is going to be very painful, but please try not to move."

"Huh?" Michelangelo moaned again, trying to adjust his vision to the lights in the room.

Mandy pushed herself closer to Michelangelo's head. " Shhh. Don't talk. It's okay."

Michelangelo smiled weakly at her as her hair fell into his face. He lifted his hand up and pushed it back behind her ear as Mandy returned his smile.

"Okay, are you ready?" Linda asked.

" Aren't you supposed to give me something to bite on, like a stick?"

Linda giggled at Michelangelo, then stopped when she felt her head being jerked back, and she screamed out when she realized Gershin had wrapped his claws in her hair.

* * *

Gershin retrieved the .45 from the floor as he dragged Linda up to a standing position, then wrapped his arm around her slender waist, squeezing her tighter as she struggled. Linda's screams caught the attention of Raphael first, and he stopped pushing against his brother as Leonardo turned sharply. When he saw Linda trapped under the doctor's powerful grip, Leonardo was sure that his heart stopped beating, and the world behind him faded away. Gershin then placed the gun on Linda's temple, and his evil laughter grew louder as it became Raphael's turn to hold back Leonardo.

" Let her go!" Leonardo cried out as Raphael grabbed his arm, not removing his eyes from the growing fear in Linda's face.

Gershin kept his eyes on the two turtles as he slowly dragged his sharp thumbnail down Linda's cheek, then grabbed her chin in his hand, forcing Linda to look at him.

" You really are quite exquisite, my dear," Gershin said as he looked over Linda's facial features. He then nuzzled her cheek with his black nose, letting out a low purring sound that made Leonardo's stomach do flip-flops.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her like that!" Leonardo screamed, shoving Raphael forward as he tried to move toward the doctor, and he raised his swords. Gershin pulled back and cocked the .45 at Linda's head.

" It would be _very_ unwise of you to attack me at the moment!" He pressed Linda closer to him, restraining her tightly as she began to beat on him with her fists.

"You- you disgusting monster! Let go of me!" Linda shouted in Gershin's face, not letting up on her struggle to free herself. Gershin jerked her around, caught Linda by the hair again, and forced her to her knees. Linda then felt the barrel of the gun hit the top of her neck, and she couldn't stop the tears as they began to roll down her face.

"Now then," Gershin looked back up at Leonardo and Raphael as he continued to hold Linda down. " I'm going to make this very easy. If you let me go, I will spare her life. If you choose not to, well, we all know what will happen next."

Leonardo's breathing pattern quicken as another wicked grin grew on the doctor's face, and he moved his eyes to Raphael, both of them knowing they had no choice in the matter. Raphael nodded slowly, then let go of his brother, watching the doctor over his shoulder as he kicked Linda forward with his boot-covered foot. Leonardo bent down and pulled Linda up, holding her tightly to his chest as his eyes went back to Gershin.

"You have made a wise decision." Gershin said as he raised the gun back up to their heads. " Too bad I was planning on killing all of you."

As he started to pull back the trigger, a sudden blast of light shot out from behind Leonardo, Linda, and Raphael, and they stared in disbelief as Gershin was knocked backwards into the concrete wall behind him. Raphael chuckled to himself as he, Leonardo and Linda turned to see Angie standing behind them, her eyes glowing white as she levitated a few inches from the ground.

"I, uh, finally got these things unlocked," Donatello said as he dangled the metal cuffs from his thumb and forefinger, then began to work on Mandy's cuffs.

"Ya always gotta wait until the last minute! I don't know why!" Raphael said throwing his hands into the air.

Angie then returned to normal and ran over to where Michelangelo lay while everyone followed. She knelt down next to him, and without a word, placed her hands over the bullet hole. Michelangelo winced in pain as he felt the bullet twist around inside of him as it slowly pushed its way back out, and they all heard a faint metal sound as the bullet hit the concrete.

" How are you feeling, Mikey?" Leonardo asked as he knelt down and placed his hand on Michelangelo's forehead.

" Like I've been shot," Michelangelo joked sarcastically, which caused Raphael to laugh.

" Well, dumbass, that kinda happens when you jump in front of a bullet."

"LOOK OUT!" Mandy screamed, causing everyone to duck down as they heard the sounds of ricocheting gunfire on the wall above them. When the firing stopped, they all looked up as Gershin slammed his empty gun down and then yanked off the metal piping that held the doors together.

"SHOOT THEM! DON"T LEAVE ANYONE ALIVE!" Gershin screamed to his soldiers as he ran out of the room. The Germans wasted no time in following orders, and jumped into the room firing their rifles. Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael managed to knock down a few as Linda and Angie pulled Michelangelo behind a tall metal storage case. Mandy, who was finally released from her restraints, kicked up her own powers and shot balls of fire back at the remaining gunmen, forcing them back out into the hallway. Donatello and Raphael shoved the door back and held it shut, then they both turned to Leonardo.

" We need to get Andrea," Raphael pointed out. " I know that shithead is goin' try ta run off with her."

"And we get by them how?" Donatello asked as he shoved his thumb at the door.

" We'll hold them back for you." Angie said as she went back into her trance. Mandy joined her side as they stood at the door, waiting for the Turtles to move.

"Alright," Leonardo hunched down between Donatello and Raphael. " Ready?" His brothers shook their heads, then Donatello swung the door back and ducked down, as did Leonardo and Raphael. Angie and Mandy delivered several series of blows to the Germans, knocking their numbers down one by one. As they cleared the way, Leonardo led the way down the red hallway, with Raphael, Donatello and Linda close behind him.

After traveling a short distance, Leonardo stopped everyone when he heard noises coming from the adjoining hallway, but when the upsetting cries of an infant echoed toward them, Raphael couldn't hold himself back any longer.

"Andrea!" Raphael screamed as he ran around the corner, slipping right through Leonardo's fingers.

" Raph! Wait!" Leonardo yelled out after him, only to have the sound of a gun shot answer back. Leonardo felt his heart stop again, and the three of them quickly ran around the corner.

Raphael was sprawled out in the middle of the hallway, laying face down in a small puddle of blood. Leonardo dropped down to his knees and flipped his brother over, then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the bullet had only scraped across Raphael's neck line.

"Somebody needs ta take that damn thing away from him!" Raphael grumbled as he sat up.

" Come on!" Linda jumped over Raphael and pulled him to his feet. " We can still catch up to him."

Donatello joined Linda and Raphael, but before they could move, Leonardo stepped in their way.

" No. I want you three to stay here."

The two turtles and the human exchanged glance with each other, then looked back at the stern expression that sat on Leonardo's face, and they knew he meant what he had said.

" Leo, are you crazy?" Donatello asked. " Gershin is way too powerful for you to fight alone."

"Yeah," Raphael agreed. " Plus, he's got my kid! I ain't goin' let you-"

"Just stay here! I mean it!" Leonardo voice echoed around the corridor. " There is just too many of us and I can't risk having any of you injured again. We've been cutting it too close. I need to go alone." Leonardo then saw the fear in Linda's eyes, and he instantly grabbed her into his arms.

" Please don't," Leonardo wiped at the tears that were beginning to fall. " I'll be okay."

" I can't help it. I'm afraid that-" Linda looked deep into Leonardo's eyes, then pulled her body closer to his. " Just promise you'll come back to me."

Leonardo squeezed her tightly as he whispered into her ear. " I promise."

And with that, Leonardo disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

Doctor Gershin laughed to himself, grateful that the mutant turtle who had screwed up his plans was finally dead, and Gershin knew that the others were sure to join the turtle after his soldiers got ahold of them. Gershin pulled on the lock of the steel door that led to the outside, only to find it locked tightly. He growled, then pulled out the rifle he had found on the ground, and fired several shots at the lock. The loud noises startled the baby that was laying inside the duffel bag that sat across his shoulders, and she began to scream again. Gershin growled louder, then shook the bag back and forth as he ran outside.

" Shut up!" He yelled at the infant as he crossed over the metal walkway that hung over the great Niagara Falls. Gershin then smiled when he saw the tail end of his black helicopter that sat across the ridge from the falls, and he quickened his pace.

" Gershin!" A voice called out suddenly, and the doctor stopped dead in his tracks. His growling resumed as he turned around, and his eyes glowed brightly as he stared at Leonardo.

Leonardo returned the doctor's stare, then lifted one of his kantanas. " Hand her over, Gershin."

Gershin then let out a high-pitched laughter and held his stomach. " You have such a flair for the dramatic, Leonardo. You act as if you were some love-stricken hero from a Shakspere play!"

Leonardo blew out a heavy sigh and took another step forward. " I'm not fooling around, Gershin. Give the baby to me now, or I'll come over there and claim her myself!"

Gershin's laughter died down slowly and he wiped a tear from his eye. He then pulled the strap of the duffel bag over his head and extended it toward Leonardo, but the turtle didn't move.

" Oh, what's the matter?" Gershin teased. " Change your mind?" He then pulled out his rifle and began to fire, causing the baby to cry harder. Leonardo flipped up to the thin metal rail, then bounce back and forth as he neared closer to the doctor.

" Stay still!" Gershin screamed. The firing suddenly stopped, and Gershin screamed in frustration when he realized he was out of ammunition. He slammed the gun down, and it skidded across the walkway and plummeted down into the water below. As Gershin looked back up, Leonardo's right foot caught him in the face. The doctor fell back, and the duffel bac flew into the air. After placing the kick, Leonardo pushed off the tiger's face, flipped back over and landed squarely on the walkway, catching the straps of the bag with the blades of his swords.

"Leo!"

Leonardo turned to find Raphael standing below him at the doorway, his hands stretched out. Leonardo moved over to the sides of the railing and carefully slid the bag down into Raphael's waiting arms. Before Raphael turned around, he looked back up at Leonardo, who saw the tears building up in his brother's eyes, and Leonardo gave his brother a warm smile.

" Take care of yourself, Leo." Raphael returned the smile. " I'll get everyone outta here."

Leonardo said nothing, just nodded back in response. After Raphael disappeared, Leonardo turned and narrowed his eyes at the doctor as he began to stand back up. A slightly cold breeze from the falls below brushed across Leonardo's face as he moved closer to the tiger, readying himself to finally take down the mutant who had caused his family so much pain and suffering.

Gershin regained his footing, feeling slightly dizzy from the blow he had received. He saw the look of anger in the mutant turtle's eyes, and it only made a smile grow on his face. The tiger narrowed his eyes, flexed his clawed hands, then made a leap across the walkway, catching the turtle by surprise.

* * *

Down below them, Raphael and Donatello pushed open the hatch that led to the underground hell they had been in, and helped Linda as she pushed Michelangelo up. They carried him over to Leonardo's Jeep and sat him up against the back tire. Angie assisted Mandy out of the hole, then placed her down next to Michelangelo. Donatello reached into the Jeep and grabbed Leonardo's cell phone.

" Who are ya callin'?" Raphael asked as he knelt down next to Michelangelo.

" The Feds, that's who." Donatello finished punching the numbers, then held the phone to his ear. " I think they would be very happy to hear about a German base camp that sits under one of the biggest American tourist spots." His eyes went over the broken crowd below him and he smiled. " An ambulance would probably help too."

Raphael laughed as his eyes went over to Andrea, who was sleeping comfortably in Angie's arms. It was then that Angie's words came back to him, and as he watched Andrea sleep, Raphael realized that the 'great thing' that he had been searching for all of his life was finally here. He was finally happy, and he swore to himself that he wasn't going to let anyone take his happiness away ever again.

Donatello finished his phone call, and after placing the phone back into the Jeep, he turned around and noticed someone was gone.

" Where's Linda?"

The rest of them looked up and watched as Linda ran back over to the gated-off sidewalk that went around the lake below the falls. Raphael and Donatello followed her, but didn't bother to try to pull her away as she looked up to the metal walkway above them.

* * *

Leonardo brought his feet up to Gershin chest and pushed him off. He rolled over and jumped back to his feet, ignoring the blood that ran down from the scraps that sat just below his left eye. Gershin's tail twitched and his ears laid back, and Leonardo put up his swords as the tiger leaped at him again.

Gershin grabbed onto Leonardo, and he screamed in pain as Gershin pushed his claws into the turtle's green skin. The swords clattered to the ground, and Gershin threw Leonardo over his head and slammed the turtle onto the railing behind him. Leonardo cringed at the blow his shell received, but shook it off as he shoved his thumbs into Gershin's eyes. The tiger howled, releasing his hold on Leonardo. The turtle dropped down, catching himself on his feet, and lunged for his swords.

Gershin blindly stepped in Leonardo's way and pulled out another .45 from the inside of his right combat boot. Leonardo reached for the gun, knowing Gershin's vision was still too blurry to find him, and he wrapped his fingers around the barrel, almost sliding it out of the unsuspecting tiger's hand. Gershin pulled the gun back, jerking Leonardo toward him, and wrapped his other hand around Leonardo's. A tug-of-war game began as they both pulled against each other, and a low growl rose up from Gershin's throat as Leonardo shoved the gun into the air as Gershin pulled the trigger.

The gun was then pulled back down, and Leonardo could feel the sparks of the bullet hit his feet as another shot was fired at the walkway under them. He looked back into the glowing eyes of the tiger and saw the evil grin on his face.

" Four more left," Gershin chuckled. " And can you guess where I'm going to put them?"

Leonardo braced himself as Gershin pulled the gun back up and shoved it into Leonardo's abdomen, wrapping his furry finger tighter around the trigger, and as Leonardo pushed on the barrel and twisted Gershin's wrist, the gun fired all four of its remaining bullets.

Neither one of the mutants made a move nor spoke for what seemed like an eternity. Leonardo's ears were filled with the sounds of the rushing falls below him, and the distant scream of the woman he loved. He closed his eyes, letting his breath out slowly as he dropped his hands down from the gun. When he opened his eyes, he found Gershin's eyes glowing back at him, and the evil smile on his face had dropped.

" There was a quote I once read by one of your American journalists that I found quite amusing." Gershin said as the air staggered out of his mouth. " Would you like to hear it?"

Leonardo blinked his eyes, then nodded his head.

_" ' Ein sterbeter Mann muss sterben, als ein schläfriger Mann schlafen muss, und dort kommt eine Zeit, wenn es falsch ist, sowie nutzlos, zu widerstehen' "_ Gershin then repeated the phrase in English. " 'A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless, to resist.' "

As Leonardo ran the words back through his head, Gershin suddenly slammed his claws into Leonardo's shoulders and dragged him over to the edge of the railing, using the last bit of energy he had to resist Leonardo's swinging legs. And while Leonardo tried to free himself from the doctor's grip, Gershin pushed both of their bodies over the railing and down into the rushing falls below.

* * *

When the shots fired, Linda felt her heart fall down to her feet, and the tears poured out of her eyes just as fast as the water fell down the cliff above them.

"NOOOOOOOO!" She screamed out in agony as Raphael stopped her from going up the staircase. Linda twisted her body around, and beat and kicked the turtle, but gave up when her tears overpowered her. She then sank into Raphael's embrace, and cried into the front of his ripped t-shirt. Raphael said nothing to her as he caressed her hair, trying to hold back the tears that were entering his eyes too. He sighed heavily as he closed his eyes.

"Holy shit."

Raphael and Linda turned around, both of them wondering what had made Donatello cuss. They followed his finger back up to the walkway, and they gasped in disbelief as both Leonardo and Gershin plummeted into the lake.

" Oh, dear god, no," Linda pushed herself out of Raphael's arms, then jumped over the wooden fence and raced down the shoreline. Donatello and Raphael chased after her, each of the hoping that their oldest brother was still alive.

" I can't see a damn thing!" Raphael said as he peered into the dark water in front of them.

" He has to be here." Linda's words came out in a whisper as her tears fell faster. " He promise me..."

" What's that over there?" Donatello pointed to an object that was floating in the water, and he pulled his flashlight out of his back pocket. After slamming it into his hand a few times, the light flickered on, and it shone brightly on the orange and white furry body that was floating face down in the murky water. Donatello moved the light around the body and shuddered at the blood that spilled from the doctor's chest area.

Linda looked out over the water as Donatello moved the flashlight around again, finding nothing else, and the lump in her throat became bigger.

" He's-he's-" Linda's sobbing took over her words, and she once again fell into Raphael's arms. Raphael felt his tears break through the invisible dam in his eyes, and he shared in Linda's crying.

" That stupid bastard," Raphael said through his sobs. " Why did he always have ta do shit like that?"

Donatello sniffed back a few tears as he patted Raphael's shell, and the three of them stared into the water.

Across from them, Leonardo sunk his fingers into the wet sand and he pulled himself up out of the water. He laid on his stomach, trying to regain his breath while he let the painful sting from hitting the water fade away. Leonardo then sat up and hung his head down between his knees as the swirling contents of his stomach stopped. He looked back up at the walkway high above his head, and he shuddered, blocking out the thoughts of how far he had just fallen.

Leonardo shuddered again as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around himself as a breeze ripped through his wet clothing and he followed the circling shoreline back to the parking lot. As he got closer, he saw Donatello, Raphael and Linda standing together near the edge of the water. He heard them all crying, and he raised an eyebrow as he moved closer to them without making a sound. Leonardo stood on Donatello's right side and looked down into the water at the floating dead body as they did, then back up into Donatello's face.

" Why are you guys crying?"

The three of them turned their heads all at once, and Leonardo couldn't help but a smile at the surprise in their eyes.

"You asshole!" Raphael smacked Leonardo's already sore shoulder. " Don't you _ever_ pull that crap again!" He then grabbed Leonardo in a tight hug as did Donatello, then they moved back as Linda jumped into Leonardo's arms and wrapped her legs around him.

" I was so scared," Linda pressed her forehead against Leonardo's and caressed his face.

" Hey, I made a promise to you." He looked deep into her tear-filled eyes. " I intended on keeping that promise." Leonardo then kissed her deeply as the sounds of police sirens rang in the distance.

* * *

The sun poked out over the tree tops, and reflected of the roofs of the state police and FBI cars. Leonardo watched from the edge of the water as the rest of the Germans were pushed into a waiting FBI van, and the body of Doctor Gershin was pulled out of the lake. He sighed heavily, then moved his eyes over to his family. Michelangelo and Mandy were being loaded into separate ambulances, until Mandy refused to go and be treated unless she could ride with Michelangelo. Angie and Donatello sat in the back of the Jeep while an EMT staff member patched up the few cuts and scraps they had, and Leonardo smiled as Donatello leaned over and planted a shy kiss on Angie's cheek, and it caused her to blush. Raphael was sitting in another ambulance, holding onto Andrea as the EMT removed the bullet from his leg. Leonardo could see the warm look in Raphael's face, and he knew deep in his heart that his brother was going to be a great father.

Leonardo then down at Linda, and her tighten his grip on her hand. He stared into her face, then watched the reflected morning sunshine bounce off of her hair and her face, and Leonardo again felt like he was falling in love with her for the first time. Linda felt Leonardo's eyes on her, and she smiled as she returned his loving gaze.

" What?" Linda said as she bumped her hip against his.

Leonardo turned his eyes away and looked back at the sky, feeling a slight flush in his cheeks. Linda giggled, then slipped her hand free and wrapped her arms around Leonardo's neck. Leonardo returned her embrace, then had a thought. He quickly pulled away from her and shoved his hand into the left pocket of his soiled khaki pants. Leonardo took a deep breath, then grabbed Linda's hand as he dropped down to one knee.

" Leonardo, what are you doing?" Linda's eye grew wide and felt her heart skip a beat as Leonardo lifted up a small blue velvet box.

Leonardo cleared his throat, then spoke. " I was thinking I had do to do this somewhere romantic, someplace special, and make it something that you wouldn't forget. But, I don't think it matters where I do it. All that matters is how much I love you, and I want you to be with me for the rest of my life."

Linda's eyes doubled in size as Leonardo opened the box, and the shine of the diamond ring inside hit the tears of happiness that began to fall down her face.

Leonardo squeezed Linda's hand as he stared into her eyes. " Linda Evelyn Okasana, will you marry me?"

" Of course I will!" Linda shouted as she jumped back into Leonardo's waiting arms and they shared a long and deep kiss. After they pulled away, they smiled and giggled at one another happily, until Raphael's familiar angry voice rang out over the tops of the trees.

"THOSE SHITHEADS DID _WHAT _TO MY CAR!"


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Eight months later..._

"Hey guys. Check out that awesome sunset!"

Leonardo turned his head to where Michelangelo's finger was pointing, and he stared in awe at the glorious pinks and oranges that streaked across the sky above the ocean tide. He smiled, then squeezed Linda's shoulder as he pulled her closer to him. Leonardo could feel her eyes on him, and he turned his head to her, taking in the grin that was spread across her face. Linda placed her hand on his cheek and softly kissed him, then began to giggle as she pulled away. Leonardo than watched Linda pulled his right hand up and place it on top of her swelled belly.

"He moved!" Linda exclaimed softly as Leonardo felt a bump rise up under his hand. The smile returned to his face, and they shared another kiss.

Leonardo heard laughter behind him, and he turned around. Behind them, Raphael was sitting cross-legged on the sand, and Andrea was standing up on her wobbly legs as she held onto her father's fingers. Raphael then blew a raspberry at her, and Andrea bounced as she squealed in delight. She then let go of Raphael's fingers, and took a few steps closer to him, then happily fell into his arms. As Andrea patted Raphael's shell and babbled into his ear, he locked his eyes with Leonardo, and they shared a smile.

On Leonardo's left side, Angie laid back in between Donatello's knees as he hung onto her hands. Her eyes drifted from the sunset above them back down to the engagement ring on her left hand. Angie leaned back farther into Donatello's chest, and sighed as she stared up at his face. Donatello turned his head and looked lovingly into her eyes. He kissed her forehead, then wrapped his arms around her.

Leonardo then looked over to where Michelangelo and Mandy were sitting, and smiled once again as he noticed Mandy had pulled Michelangelo's head into her lap and was stroking his face. Michelangelo's gaze was locked with hers and he twisted the ends of her blonde hair around in his fingers. Leonardo's smile grew as Michelangelo lifted up his right hand, place dit behind her head, and pulled Mandy's face down closer to his, and they shared their first kiss. Leonardo then heard Linda sigh heavily, knowing that she too had witnessed the kiss, and she buried her head into his shoulder.

As he moved his eyes back to the sky above them, Leonardo felt an overwhelming feeling rise inside of his heart, and it brought a few tears to his eyes. He had never seen his brothers so happy, and it made Leonardo feel suddenly thankful that he had such a wonderful family. As he thought back to when he and his brothers lived as outcasts, Leonardo remembered how they would all wish for a life like everyone else, and now, after many years of hardships and personal battles, they had each all finally gotten the life they deserved. As he again looked into Linda's eyes and patted her stomach, Leonardo knew that he couldn't wait to finally start living his.

* * *

_And now, a word from the author..._

I would like to thank the great people who read my story. I know it was REALLY long. I apologize for that! But thank you very much for sticking with it. I hope you enjoyed it! Now before I write anymore, I must recuperate. This story drained me emotional, not to mention that everyone around me looks like a turtle... ;0) Anyway, stay tuned for Part Three: The Way of Family, the final entry in the Family Saga.

(_Author then passes out from exhaustion, falls out of her chair, and hits the floor.)_


End file.
